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HBV and HCV infections in heart transplant recipients
- Source :
- Università degli Studi di Padova-IRIS
- Publication Year :
- 2001
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2001.
-
Abstract
- Background. Heart transplant (HTx) recipients risk acquiring hepatotropic viral infections such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), and the impact of these infections on post-HTx survival remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to define the prevalence, clinical features, and natural history of HBV and HCV infections in a cohort of HTx recipients. Methods. We retrospectively studied 360 consecutive patients who had undergone HTx. Clinical picture, hepatic injury indexes, and HBV/HCV viral serology were followed post-transplant. Results. During follow-up (average, 8 ± 3.1 years), 49 (16.5%) of the HTx recipients tested positive for at least 1 of the 2 viruses (3.1% HBV, 12% HCV, 0.5% concomitant infection). The prevalence of HCV infection in heart transplant recipients transplanted before and after 1990 was 28% and 4.2%, respectively, the latter being markedly lower (p < 0.001) than in earlier series of HTx recipients and much lower than expected in the age- and sex-matched general population. All HBV-positive and 58% of HCV-positive recipients developed chronic liver disease. Sixteen percent of patients developed cirrhosis during follow-up, and 8% died of end-stage liver disease. Conclusions. The prevalence of HBV and HCV in a large population of HTx recipients is not very different from that reported in the general population. Active viral replication of HBV and an aggressive natural history of both infections are seen in HTx recipients, however. The low prevalence of HBV- and HCV-related infection in recent series probably reflects current viral screening and vaccination policies.
- Subjects :
- Liver Cirrhosis
Male
Hepacivirus
Comorbidity
medicine.disease_cause
Cohort Studies
Orthohepadnavirus
HBV
Prevalence
education.field_of_study
biology
Hepatitis Antigens
virus diseases
Middle Aged
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Survival Rate
Italy
Liver
HCV
Female
Viral disease
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Adult
Viral Hepatitis Vaccines
Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Hepatitis B virus
medicine.medical_specialty
Hepatitis C virus
Population
Age Distribution
Internal medicine
medicine
Humans
Hepatitis Antibodies
education
Aged
Retrospective Studies
Transplantation
business.industry
heart transplant recipient
biology.organism_classification
digestive system diseases
Hepadnaviridae
Immunology
Heart Transplantation
Surgery
business
Follow-Up Studies
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 10532498
- Volume :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....0f5065f78c07428fe09ded57902b46a6