Effect of Hepatitis C Treatment on Renal Function in Liver Transplant Patients

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is uniformly recurrent after liver transplant (LT) and recurrence is associated with an increased risk of mortality. Immunosuppressive medications increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, and the presence of chronic kidney disease presents a challenge for HCV treatment in LT recipients. The aim of this study was to assess changes in glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) of LT recipients receiving HCV treatment. This is a retrospective study of LT patients who received HCV treatment between 2015 and 2016 (n = 60). The outcomes of interest were differences in serum creatinine levels and in GFR, measured at treatment initiation and at 24 weeks after treatment. The average age of the patients was 59 years-old, and 17% were cirrhotic and 67% were treatment-experienced. All patients received sofosbuvir/ledipasvir without ribavirin. All patients achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12). At baseline, 55% of patients had GFR <60 mL/min per 1.73 m². Among those patients, GFR did not change in 18%, 33% had improved GFR, and 48% had worsened GFR. Up to 45% of the patients had a GFR >60 mL/min per 1.73 m². Among those patients, GFR did not change in 81%, and 19% had worsened GFR. In the entire cohort, 65% of patients had improved or stable GFR and 35% had worsened GFR. The average change in serum creatinine between baseline and 24 weeks was 0.10 (p = 0.18). This study showed improved or unchanged GFR in 65% and worsened GFR in 35% of LT recipients who achieved SVR12. Worsening of GFR was more frequently encountered in those with impaired renal function at baseline. Caution should be used when treating HCV in LT recipients, especially those with baseline status of renal impairment.