Combination therapy with peginterferon alpha-2B and ribavirin in liver transplant recipients with recurrent HCV infection: preliminary results of an open prospective study

Transplantation Proceedings
S BeckebaumG Gerken

Abstract

Allograft reinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in transplant recipients occurs commonly and represents a major concern in the transplant setting. Suppression of viral replication in HCV transplant patients should prevent or delay progression to cirrhosis and graft failure. In this ongoing study, we present preliminary data from a prospective trial of standard interferon (IFN) alpha-2b (2 million units daily) for 3 months and subsequent peginterferon (PEG IFN) alpha-2b (1.5 microg/kg/week) for 9 months. IFN therapy was combined with ribavirin (10 to 12 mg/kg). So far, HCV has become undetectable by qualitative PCR in 33% of patients while 25% had a reduction of HCV RNA to undetectable by the bDNA assay and 42% had no virological response after 6 months of therapy. A biochemical response was detected in 42% of patients. Improvement of inflammatory activity was observed in 42% of patients after 6 months. In three patients anemia necessitated administration of erythropoietin and three patients received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) due to leucopenia [corrected] In conclusion, we observed that daily IFN alpha-2b and subsequent PEG IFN alpha-2b therapy in combination with ribavirin provides biochemical and virolog...Continue Reading

Citations

Jul 16, 2008·Clinics in Liver Disease·Elizabeth C Verna, Robert S Brown
Dec 14, 2006·Clinics in Liver Disease·Elizabeth C Verna, Robert S Brown
Dec 26, 2008·Liver Transplantation : Official Publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society·Thomas WalterJérôme Dumortier
Mar 8, 2013·American Journal of Transplantation : Official Journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·J LevitskyUNKNOWN AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Jan 28, 2010·American Journal of Transplantation : Official Journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons·J LevitskyUNKNOWN AST Infectious Diseases Community of Practice
Feb 22, 2011·Transplantation Proceedings·F R PonzianiS Fagiuoli
Dec 3, 2014·Digestive and Liver Disease : Official Journal of the Italian Society of Gastroenterology and the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver·Sabela LensXavier Forns
Dec 7, 2013·The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·Kurinchi Selvan GurusamyBrian R Davidson
Mar 23, 2017·World Journal of Hepatology·Francesca Romana PonzianiAntonio Gasbarrini

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