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    Transplantation. 2008 Aug 15;86(3):469-73.

    Sustained clearance of serum hepatitis C virus-RNA independently predicts long-term survival in liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C.

    Source

    Department of General, Visceral and Vascular Surgery, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany. Arno.Kornberg@med.uni-jena.de

    Abstract

    The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of virological response to long-term antiviral therapy using interferon plus ribavirin on survival of 30 liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C. Mean treatment duration is currently 46 months (range: 3-144 months). Sustained clearance of serum hepatitis C virus RNA was achieved in 18 patients (60%). Allograft biopsies demonstrated fibrosis progression in seven virological nonresponders (66.6%), and none of the recipients with viral elimination (0%; P<0.001). Univariately, low pretransplant viral loads, the absence of cytomegalovirus infection, as well as biochemical and virological response to antiviral therapy indicated a positive impact on outcome (P<0.05). Only antiviral treatment induced clearance of viremia, however, was identified as independent predictor of long-term survival (P=0.02). Our data indicate that an antiviral combination should aim at viral eradication in liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C, because it improves survival.

    PMID:
    18698252
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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