Page 89 - The Flying Publisher Guide to Hepatitis C Treatment

Management of recurrent HCV infection following liver transplantation | 89

Antiviral therapy in patients with HCV cirrhosis awaiting LT
should be considered only in selected individuals due to poor
tolerability and limited virologic response. Pre-emptive therapy
is not well tolerated in the post-LT population. Antiviral therapy
with PegIFN/RBV should be considered in transplant recipients
with recurrent HCV infection. Achievement of SVR is associated
with increased allograft and patient survival; however, efficacy
may be limited by poor tolerability, risk of cellular rejection and
risk of alloimmune hepatitis, requirement for dose reductions,
and treatment discontinuation.
Retransplantation is the only therapeutic option to achieve
long-term survival in patients with decompensated cirrhosis
after LT.

Links
– American Liver Foundation: www.liverfoundation.org
– The United Network for organ sharing (UNOS):
www.unos.org
– American College of Gastroenterology, Hepatitis C
Treatment Resource Kit (PDF, 56 pages): goo.gl/qCz3v
– European Liver Transplant Registry: www.eltr.org
– Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN):
http://optn.transplant.hrsa.gov