Waiting list changes and follow-up of anti-HCV positive liver transplant recipients: an analysis of 400 cases out of 1000 transplantations

Background. The terminal stages of chronic hepatitis C remain the main indication for liver transplantation in Russia and in the world.

Aim. To retrospectively evaluate the changes in the waiting list of liver transplantation that occurred during 22 years of work of the Department for Liver Transplantation at N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine in relation to patients with anti-HCV+; and to study the survival rate of anti-HCV+ after liver transplantation, and peculiarities of the course of recurrent HCV infection and virological outcomes of modern antiviral therapy.

Material and methods. We analyzed the results of anti-HCV+ liver transplantations from a deceased donors (n=400) operated in the Department for Liver Transplantation at N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine for 22 years. Changes in the Waiting List structure, recipient survival and antiviral therapy efficacy were studied.

Results. The proportion of anti-HCV+ recipients decreased from 44.3% (period from 2007 to 2019) to 34.1% (from 2020 to 2022, p=0.0027). Survival of anti-HCV+ recipients without HCC is currently comparable to survival of non-infectious non-HCC recipients. The 5-year survival of anti-HCV+ recipients without HCC at the time of liver transplantation was 84%, and the 10-year survival was 76%. The 3and 5-year survival rates of recipients without HCC at the time of liver transplantation who had surgery before August 2016 were lower (80% and 77%, respectively) than the 3and 5-year survival rates (91%) of liver transplant recipients operated on later than this date (p=0.01). Before August 2016, recurrence of HCV infection occurred in > 90% of anti-HCV+ recipients with known HCV RNA status after liver transplantation. Spontaneous clearance of HCV RNA after liver transplantation was observed in 2.1% of cases. In recent years, the incidence of recurrent HCV infection after liver transplantation has decreased significantly (~25% in 2021–22). The use of modern direct acting antiviral regimens results in >95% viral eradication after the 1st course. The emergence of drug resistance polymorphisms in patients who have had unsuccessful experience of direct acting antiviral before liver transplantation is not an obstacle to the success of direct acting antiviral treatment after liver transplantation.

Conclusion. The possibility of a rapid and safe cure for HCV infection against the backdrop of a shortage of donor organs necessitates a revision of the documents regulating organ donation, which should make organs from donors with antiHCV in the blood available for transplantation.

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