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  • Title: [Combined antiviral treatment in a patient with recurrent chronic hepatitis C after liver transplantation].
    Author: Csák T, Folhoffer A, Horváth A, Lengyel G, Kóbori L, Szalay F.
    Journal: Orv Hetil; 2004 Sep 26; 145(39):2003-6. PubMed ID: 15553912.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus infection persists after liver transplantation and causes recurrent liver injury in the majority of the patients. We report a case of orthotopic liver transplantation with more than five years survival despite the early recurrence of hepatitis C virus. CASE REPORT: A 49-year old woman underwent orthotopic liver transplantation because of liver cirrhosis following chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Twelve years before she received blood-transfusion. The chronic liver disease was diagnosed four years later. However, then it was thought to be a drug induced liver damage. After the liver transplantation hepatitis C chronic hepatitis recurred within one year. The serotype analysis (1b) proved the autoreinfection. The combined antiviral treatment (interferon plus ribavirin) resulted significant improvement. She was asymptomatic nearly for two years. The liver biopsy showed a significant histological improvement. However the virologic response and remission was transient. Four years after the transplantation recurrence occurred again. The liver biopsy proved cirrhosis. Antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin was started but it had been stopped because of severe cytopenia. Lack of adequate antiviral treatment her condition became progressively worse. Finally, five years after the transplantation she died because of bilateral haemorrhagic ovarian necrosis and severe circulatory insufficiency thanks to the low albumin level. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of liver cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus the liver transplantation could prolongs the life with years. The presented case illustrate that the hepatitis C virus injures the transplanted liver by autoreinfection. However, the combined antiviral therapy could result sustained virologic response in these cases as well. Our patient survived five years thanks to the transplantation and the following antiviral therapy.
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