PEGYLATED INTERFERON AND RIBAVIRIN FOR TREATMENT OF RECURRENT HEPATITIS C AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION: a single-liver transplant center experience in Brazil

• Published in: Arquivos de gastroenterologia 2015-09, Vol.52 (3), p.216-221
• Main Authors: Garcia, José Huygens Parente, Araújo Filho, Antônio Haroldo de, Braga, Lucia Libanez Bessa Campelo, Viana, Cyntia Ferreira Gomes, Rocha, Tarciso Daniel Santos, Pereira, Karla Brandão
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Antivirais; Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use; Brazil; Cohort Studies; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY; Hepatite C crônica; Hepatitis C, Chronic - surgery; Humans; Interferon-alpha - therapeutic use; Liver Transplantation - adverse effects; Male; Middle Aged; Recurrence; Resposta virológica sustentada; Ribavirin - therapeutic use; Risk Factors; Transplante de fígado; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0004-2803; 1678-4219; 1678-4219; 0004-2803
• DOI: 10.1590/S0004-28032015000300012

Treatment of hepatitis C virus infection in post-transplantation patients is a challenge due to poor tolerance and low success rates. To determine the response rate to pegylated interferon and ribavirin in post-liver transplant patients with hepatitis C recurrence. Between 18 May 2002 and 18 December 2011, 601 patients underwent liver transplantation at our service (Hospital Universitário Walter Cantídio, University of Ceará), 176 (29.2%) of whom were hepatitis C virus positive. Forty received antiviral therapy and were included in this cohort study. Twenty-eight (70%) completed the treatment protocol, which consisted of pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks. The sustained virological response rate was 55% according to intention-to-treat analysis. Recipient age and exposure to antiviral drugs prior to liver transplantation were associated with sustained virological response in the multivariate analysis. Patients were followed for 57 months on the average. Survival at 1 and 5 years was 100% in responders, versus 100% and 78%, respectively, in non-responders. Sustained virological response rates were satisfactory in our series of liver transplantation patients, and decreased with increasing recipient age. Non-exposure to antiviral drugs prior to liver transplantation was positively associated with sustained virological response. The overall survival of responders and non-responders was similar.