FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF HEPATITIS-C VIR US AFTER LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION - A STUDY IN 28 PATIENTS

Objectives and methods. - HCV cirrhosis is one of the major indication s for liver transplantation. HCV recurrence rate is high but long term development to cirrhosis seems to be rare. This study included 28 pat ients with HCV infection (HCV RNA in blood histologic lesions highly s uggestive or compatible with HCV infection). Results. - Twenty-one out of the 28 patients were transplanted for hepatic chronic liver diseas e associated with HCV infection (reinfection), whereas only 7 our of 9 4 transplanted patients (7.4 %) without pre-transplant HCV infection ( '' de novo '' infection). Patients were followed clinically and histol ogically for a mean period of 26.8 months (range: 3-56). Of 26 patient s with a good histological evaluation, 24 (99.3 %) had chronic hepatit is: 7 with mild activity, 17 with moderate activity, 7 of whom had bri dging fibrosis. Two patients had unusual features with associated lesi ons (necrotic hepatitis and chronic ejection in one case, acute hepati tis associated with CMV infection in the other). Conclusion. - This st udy confirms the high prevalence of HCV recurrence, as well as the '' de novo '' infection risk, and suggests caution concerning long term p rognosis.