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Abstract Details
Peginterferon and Ribavirin for Treatment of Recurrent Hepatitis C Disease in HCV-HIV Coinfected Liver Transplant Recipients
Terrault N1, Reddy KR, Poordad F, Curry M, Schiano T, Johl J, Shaikh O, Dove L, Shetty K, Millis M, Schiff E, Regenstein F, Barnes D, Barin B, Peters M, Roland M, Stock P; for the HIVTR Investigators. Am J Transplant. 2014 Mar 17. doi: 10.1111/ajt.12668. [Epub ahead of print]
Author information
1Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Abstract
Achievement of a sustained virologic response (SVR) with antiviral therapy significantly improves graft survival in hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfected liver transplant (LT) patients. Risks and benefits of HCV therapy in HCV-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfected LT recipients are not well established. Among 89 HCV-HIV LT recipients in the HIVTR cohort, 39 (23% Black, 79% genotype 1, 83% fibrosis stage ≤ 1) were treated with peginterferon-a2a or a2b plus ribavirin for a median 363 days (14-1373). On intent-to-treat basis, 22% (95% CI: 10-39) and 14% (95% CI: 5-30) achieved an end-of-treatment response (EOTR) and SVR, respectively. By per-protocol analysis (completed 48 weeks of therapy ± dose reductions), 42% and 26% had EOTR and SVR, respectively. Severe adverse events occurred in 85%, with 26% hospitalized with infections and 13% developing acute rejection. Early discontinuations and dose reductions occurred in 38% and 82%, respectively, despite use of growth factors in 85%. Eighteen of 39 treated patients (46%) subsequently died/had graft loss, with 10 (26%) attributed to recurrent HCV. In conclusion, SVR rates are low and tolerability is poor in HCV-HIV coinfected transplant recipients treated with peginterferon and ribavirin. These results highlight the critical need for better tolerated and more efficacious HCV therapies for HCV-HIV coinfected transplant recipients.