HCV-related fibrosis progression following liver transplantation: increasein recent years

Background/Aims: The natural history and predictors of HCV-related disease severity post-transplantation are uncertain. The aims of this study were to define the natural history of post-transplantation HCV infection by assess ing the rate of fibrosis progression, to determine if the post-transplantat ion natural history differs from that observed pre-transplantation, and to identify predictors of post-transplantation disease progression. Methods: Post-transplantation biopsies (mean: 3+/-1.6/patient) from 284 pat ients were scored according to histologic stage, using the method of Desmet et al. Change in fibrosis score (fibrosis progression/year) post-transplan tation was used as the primary outcome. Predictors analyzed included viral factors (genotype and viral load at transplantation), patient demographics, year of transplantation, country of transplantation, pre-transplantation f ibrosis progression, immunosuppression and laboratory data. Results: There was a linear association between change in fibrosis score an d time from transplantation, with a median rate of fibrosis progression per year of 0.3 (0.004-2.19/year). Using parametric time-to-event analysis, th e expected median duration to cirrhosis was 10 years. The rate of post-tran splantation fibrosis progression was significantly higher than pretransplan tation (0.2/year (0.09-0.8) p<0.0001), and higher in Spanish than US center s (0.48 (0.01-2.19) vs 0.28 (0.004-2.08); p=0.09) despite similar progressi on rates prior to transplantation. Variables independently associated with post-transplantation progression included year of transplantation (p=0.0001 ), race (p=0.02), number of methyl-prednisolone boluses (p=0.03), and HCV R NA levels at transplantation (p=0.01). Conclusions: HCV-related disease progression is accelerated in immunocompro mised compared to immunocompetent patients, with a progressive increase in patients who have recently undergone liver transplantation. Changes in pati ent management posttransplantation over time and between transplant centers may account for the increase in fibrosis progression observed in recent ye ars.