title: Treatment of HCV in renal transplant patients with peginterferon and ribavirin: long-term follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In addition to the observation of an increased viremia among patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who undergo renal transplantation, fibrosis and necroinflammatory activity have been noted to worsen comparing pre- and post-renal transplantation liver biopsies in some of these patients. Apart from the reported reduced patient and allograft survival rates, post-transplant diabetes mellitus, de novo glomerulonephritis, and an increased overall risk of infection have been observed. However, antiviral therapy for HCV is generally considered contraindicated among patients with solid organ transplants, with the main worry being the risk of acute rejection in relation to the use of interferon. We reported the long-term outcome of four renal transplant patients with chronic HCV infection who received peginterferon-based therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We collected the long-term follow-up data of four patients who completed the therapy with peginterferon in combination with ribavirin. Two of them had renal impairment at baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With treatment, they had a significant improvement in terms of serum liver transaminase level, and two patients achieved the early virological response and the other two rapid virological response. All four patients achieved sustained virological response, with neither HCV flare up nor renal dysfunction during follow-up for a mean duration of 74.3 months after therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that sustained HCV virological response may be achieved without allograft dysfunction, in selected renal transplant patients using a peginterferon-based therapy.
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China. maksk@ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: Siu-Ka
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ho-Kwan
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Sin
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Kin-Yee
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Man-Wai
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Shuk-Fan
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Kwok-Chi
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yuk-Yi
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Lo-Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ping-Nam
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Renal Unit, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, 25 Waterloo Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Andrew K M
authors.initials: AKM
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D000072230:Sustained Virologic Response; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a
keywords: HCV; Peginterferon; Renal transplant; Ribavirin; Treatment