Impaired Renal Allograft, but Not Patient Survival, in Patients with Antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus

Background: The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in renal transplant patients is controversial and there are no data on the outcome of renal transplantation in this sub-group of Irish patients.

Aim: To examine the outcome of renal transplantation in patients with hepatitis C.

Methods: We examined the outcome of first grafts from renal transplant patients with hepatitis C antibody positive and compared them to a control group. During this period, 24 HCV positive patients received 33 grafts. All were treated with standard immunosuppression.

Results: Graft survival rate was less in the HCV positive cases (p=0.0087). Graft survival at 1 year was 75% in the HCV positive group versus 85% in the HCV negative group, 40% versus 62% at 5 years and 14% compared with 40% at 10 years. Patient survival was similar in both groups (p=0.78). Patient survival at 1 year was 96% versus 94%, 87% versus 80% at 5 years and 70% in both groups at 10 years.

Conclusion: In the Irish renal transplant population, the presence of hepatitis C antibodies, before or after transplantation is associated with worse long-term graft, but not patient survival.