Anti-viral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation

The latest issue of the Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics reviews the use of anti-viral therapy for recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the first cause of liver transplantation worldwide.
Recurrence of infection is constant, and compromises patient and graft survival.
Drs Guillouche and Féray from France provided an updated review of the main treatments of recurrent HCV.

The research team searched MEDLINE from 1990 to 2010, and performed a national meeting abstract search.

Peg-interferon alpha plus ribavirin gave a sustained virological response up to 30%
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics

Search terms included hepatitis C, liver transplantation, treatment, sustained virological response. An emphasis was placed on randomized trials.

Anti-viral therapy based on pegylated interferon and ribavirin must be considered before liver transplantation, but is poorly tolerated and has poor results in patients with cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma.

Anti-viral therapy can be administrated systematically early after liver transplantation, or in patients with established recurrent chronic hepatitis.

The researchers observed that combination of pegylated interferon alpha plus ribavirin results in a sustained virological response of up to 30% in patients with histological HCV recurrence.
The results of a small trial of polyclonal anti-HCV to prevent recurrence were disappointing.
Dr Guillouche and colleague concluded, "Currently available anti-viral therapy is effective only in a minority of transplanted patients infected with HCV."

"Specifically targeted anti-viral therapies combining interferon alpha and ribavirin, or a combination of antiprotease and antipolymerase components, associated with a genetic prediction of anti-viral response and blocking HCV cell entry should improve the long-term prognosis of recurrent hepatitis C in the near future."

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011: 33: 163–74

21 December 2010

Systematic review: anti-viral therapy of recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation

P. Guillouche,
C. Féray
Article first published online: 9 NOV 2010
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2010.04505.x

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 33: 163–174

Summary
Background Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is the first cause of liver transplantation worldwide. Recurrence of infection is constant, and compromises patient and graft survival.
Aim To provide an updated review of the main treatments of recurrent HCV.
Methods MEDLINE (1990 to August 2010) and national meeting abstract search. Search terms included hepatitis C, liver transplantation, treatment, sustained virological response. An emphasis was placed on randomised trials.

Results Anti-viral therapy based on pegylated interferon and ribavirin must be considered before liver transplantation, but is poorly tolerated and has poor results in patients with cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease or hepatocellular carcinoma. Anti-viral therapy can be administrated systematically early after liver transplantation, or in patients with established recurrent chronic hepatitis. Combination of pegylated interferon alpha plus ribavirin results in a sustained virological response of up to 30% in patients with histological HCV recurrence. The results of a small trial of polyclonal anti-HCV to prevent recurrence were disappointing.
Conclusions Currently available anti-viral therapy is effective only in a minority of transplanted patients infected with HCV. Specifically targeted anti-viral therapies combining interferon alpha and ribavirin, or a combination of antiprotease and antipolymerase components, associated with a genetic prediction of anti-viral response and blocking HCV cell entry should improve the long-term prognosis of recurrent hepatitis C in the near future.