The impact of hepatitis C virus infection on long-term outcome in renal transplant patients

Ruhi C., Suleymanlar I., Kocak H., Yilmaz V. T., ÇOLAK D., Dinckan A., ...Daha Fazla

TURKISH JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY, cilt.22, sa.2, ss.165-170, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 22 Sayı: 2
  • Basım Tarihi: 2011
  • Doi Numarası: 10.4318/tjg.2011.0236
  • Dergi Adı: TURKISH JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.165-170
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: End-stage renal disease, hepatitis C virus infection, long-term survival, renal transplantation, KIDNEY-TRANSPLANTATION, MYCOPHENOLATE-MOFETIL, ACUTE REJECTION, ANTIBODY STATUS, RECIPIENTS, SURVIVAL, PREVALENCE, RECURRENCE, DISEASE, RISK
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hepatitis C virus infection on patient and graft survival and liver function in renal transplant patients. Methods: 1811 renal transplant patients were included in this study. One hundred renal transplant patients (5.5%) were anti-hepatitis C virus-positive. We evaluated demographic, clinical, biochemical, and serological data of patients and compared patient and graft survivals between hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative renal transplant patients. Results: The median follow-up period was 35.7 months. One hundred (5.5%) patients were anti-hepatitis C virus- positive. There were no differences between anti-hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative renal transplant patients regarding age, etiology of renal disease, number of pre-transplant blood transfusions, and hepatitis B virus coinfection rate. Rate of graft loss in anti-hepatitis C virus-positive renal transplant patients was significantly higher than in anti-hepatitis C virus-negative patients (16.0% vs. 9.2%, p=0.026). Survival analysis revealed that patient survival was similar between anti-hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative renal transplant patients. Graft survival was lower in the anti-hepatitis C virus-positive group than in anti-hepatitis C virus- negative patients, especially after the fifth year of renal transplant (p<0.001). Thirty-three percent of anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients were positive for hepatitis C virus RNA. Twenty-seven percent of anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients had persistent alanine aminotransferase elevation. None of the patients developed cirrhosis during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that hepatitis C virus infection in renal transplant patients does not adversely affect patient survival. Long-term graft survival seems to be lower in hepatitis C virus-positive compared to hepatitis C virus-negative renal transplant patients. Nevertheless, renal transplant can be considered as a safe and effective treatment modality in anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients with end-stage renal disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hepatitis C virus infection on patient and graft survival and liver function in renal transplant patients.

METHODS:

1811 renal transplant patients were included in this study. One hundred renal transplant patients (5.5%) were anti-hepatitis C virus-positive. We evaluated demographic, clinical, biochemical, and serological data of patients and compared patient and graft survivals between hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative renal transplant patients.

RESULTS:

The median follow-up period was 35.7 months. One hundred (5.5%) patients were anti-hepatitis C virus-positive. There were no differences between anti-hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative renal transplant patients regarding age, etiology of renal disease, number of pre-transplant blood transfusions, and hepatitis B virus coinfection rate. Rate of graft loss in anti-hepatitis C virus-positive renal transplant patients was significantly higher than in anti-hepatitis C virus-negative patients (16.0% vs. 9.2%, p=0.026). Survival analysis revealed that patient survival was similar between anti-hepatitis C virus-positive and -negative renal transplant patients. Graft survival was lower in the anti-hepatitis C virus-positive group than in anti-hepatitis C virus-negative patients, especially after the fifth year of renal transplant (p<0.001). Thirty-three percent of anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients were positive for hepatitis C virus RNA. Twenty-seven percent of anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients had persistent alanine aminotransferase elevation. None of the patients developed cirrhosis during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION:

Our findings suggest that hepatitis C virus infection in renal transplant patients does not adversely affect patient survival. Long-term graft survival seems to be lower in hepatitis C virus-positive compared to hepatitis C virus-negative renal transplant patients. Nevertheless, renal transplant can be considered as a safe and effective treatment modality in anti-hepatitis C virus-positive patients with end-stage renal disease.