title: Successful Continuation of HCV Treatment After Liver Transplantation.
abstract: Guidelines recommend that patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease be treated for HCV before liver transplant (LT) to eliminate the virus before surgery. However, the unpredictability of donor organ availability may limit treatment duration. Interruption of HCV treatment with resumption post-LT is 1 potential solution which has not been investigated widely.
  
  
  
  Patients from 5 clinical centers included in the large, national, noninterventional Hepa-C registry who started treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents while awaiting LT were identified retrospectively and followed up prospectively. Fifteen patients who had treatment interruptions around LT were identified.
  
  
  
  The majority of patients (12/15) received interferon-free regimens, most commonly sofosbuvir + daclatasvir (8/12), for a total of 24 weeks (13/15). Treatment was discontinued temporarily for a median of 5 (range, 2-33) days. Fourteen patients completing 12 weeks of follow-up achieved a sustained virological response. One patient who died before week 12 posttreatment achieved a response at posttreatment week 4. Treatment was generally well tolerated. Serious adverse events were recorded in 2 of 15 patients (anaemia in 1 patient; pneumonia in 1 patient); all arose after LT.
  
  
  
  Resumption of direct-acting antiviral agent therapy after a temporary interruption around LT was highly effective, achieving sustained virological response in all patients who completed 12 weeks of posttreatment follow-up. Treatment was generally well tolerated pretransplantation and posttransplantation, with a low rate of serious adverse events. Such a strategy may offer an important new approach to the treatment of patients awaiting LT which may be assessed in future studies.
authors.affiliation: 1 Liver Unit, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro-Majadahonda, IDIPHIM, CIBERehd, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain. 2 Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, CIBERehd, Barcelona, Spain. 3 Liver Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron, CIBERehd, Barcelona, Spain. 4 Hepatology and Liver Transplant Unit, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, IMIBIC, CIBERehd, Córdoba, Spain. 5 Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Santander, Spain. 6 Digestive Service, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain. 7 Liver Unit, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and CIBERehd, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández Carrillo
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de la Revilla
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castells
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buti
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Montero
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fábrega
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Serrano-Millán
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Calleja
authors.forename: María-Carlota
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Londoño
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D028761:Withholding Treatment
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents