Author information
1
Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom; A.M. and A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione IRCCS CA' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: matteo.manini@nhs.net.
2
Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
3
A.M. and A. Migliavacca Center for Liver Disease, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Fondazione IRCCS CA' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Recent data suggest that oral third-generation nucleos(t)ide analogs (NA) monoprophylaxis following hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIg) withdrawal may be effective to prevent HBV reinfection after liver transplantation (LT).
PATIENTS AND METHODS:
Between 01/2010 and 03/2012, all HBV monoinfected and HBV/HDV co-infected LT patients followed in our centre withdrew HBIg ± NA and were commenced on either ETV or TDF as monotherapy.
RESULTS:
Seventy-seven patients were included in the study (55% TDF, 45% ETV). Group A comprised 69 HBV monoinfected patients and Group B 8 HBV/HDV co-infected patients. After HBIg withdrawal, Groups A and B patients were followed for 69 (range 13-83) months and 61 (range 31-78) months, respectively. No Group B patients had HBsAg or HBV DNA recurrence, while 6 (9%) Group A patients became HBsAg-positive after a median of 18 (range 1-40) months. The cumulative 5-year incidence of HBsAg recurrence was 9%. All 6 patients demonstrated undetectable HBV-DNA levels and stable graft function during 30 months of additional follow-up. In 3/6 patients, seroconversion was transitory, while the remaining 3 showed HBsAg levels <0.13 IU/mL over the entire period of observation. Pre-LT HCC emerged as the strongest predictor of HBsAg recurrence.
CONCLUSION:
HBIG can be safely discontinued in HBsAgpositive LT recipients and replaced by ETV or TDF monotherapy.