Article: PDF OnlyHepatitis C virus and renal transplantationMorales, José M.a; Campistol, Josep M.b; Andrés, Amadoa; Rodicio, José L.aAuthor Information aRenal Transplant Unit, Nephrology Department, Hospital Universitario '12 de Octubre', Madrid, b Renal Transplant Unit, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension: March 1998 - Volume 7 - Issue 2 - p 177-184 Buy Abstract During the past 12 months additional evidence has emerged from several studies, indicating that hepatitis C virus infection is the most important liver disease after renal transplantation. A new, severe and rare entity called fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis can lead to early liver failure, although the most important complications appeared in the long-run. Encouraging results with ribavirin have been described. Although glomerular lesions and more severe infections can appear in hepatitis C virus patients, graft and patient survival in most series are similar to those in hepatitis-C-negative patients. Survival is also better among hepatitis-C-positive patients after renal transplantation than in hepatitis-C-positive patients on dialysis on the waiting list for transplantation. Finally, the use of kidneys from hepatitis-C-positive donors is suggested for transplant into hepatitis C RNA positive patients matching the hepatitis C genotype. © Lippincott-Raven Publishers.
