LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION FOR ALCOHOLIC CIRRHOSIS WITH ANTI-HCV ANTIBODIES

The results of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) are currently similar to those obtain ed in patients with other indications. However, the frequent associati on of ALC with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection may impair these resu lts. We retrospectively studied the consequences of HCV infection on s urvival and graft function in 59 patients with ALC undergoing OLT. Pat ients were classified into two groups depending on their HCV serology before transplantation: group 1 comprised 24 anti-HCV-positive patient s, and group 2, 35 anti-HCV-negative patients. Patient and graft survi val were similar in both groups. Liver function tests 1 and 4 years af ter OLT showed AST and ALT values that were significantly higher in gr oup 1 patients and post-transplant histologically proven chronic hepat itis was found in 45 % and 61 % of these patients at 1 and 4 years, re spectively. We con elude that pretransplant HCV infection in patients with ALC does not affect survival after OLT. However, one must bear in mind the high incidence of post-transplant chronic hepatitis secondar y to recurrence of HCV infection and be cautious when drawing this con clusion.