Hepatitis C positive grafts may be used in orthotopic liver transplantation: a matched analysis

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Transplantation Medicine
• Virology

Background:

• Increasing organ shortage drives the use of Hepatitis C (HCV)-positive liver grafts.
• Decompensated liver disease due to HCV is a common indication for liver transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of using HCV-positive liver grafts in HCV-positive recipients.
• To compare patient survival, graft survival, and HCV recurrence rates between recipients of HCV-positive and HCV-negative grafts.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis comparing 59 recipients of HCV-positive grafts with matched controls receiving HCV-negative grafts.
• Matching variables included recipient and donor factors, and transplantation details.
• Statistical analyses (matched and unmatched) assessed patient survival, graft survival, and time to HCV recurrence.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in patient survival, graft survival, or HCV recurrence-free survival were observed between the two groups (p > 0.05).
• Three-year HCV disease-free survival estimates were comparable: 12% for HCV-positive grafts and 19% for HCV-negative grafts.
• The use of HCV-positive grafts did not negatively affect key transplant outcomes.

Conclusions:

• HCV-positive liver grafts can be safely utilized in HCV liver transplant recipients.
• This practice can help mitigate organ shortages without compromising transplant outcomes.
• Further research may support broader application of HCV-positive grafts in select patient populations.