Scarce influence of corticosteroid boluses on long-term viral load and liver histology in transplanted patients with recurrent hepatitis C.

ABSTRACT

Corticosteroid boluses, which are the treatment for acute rejection episodes, have been shown to produce transient increases in viremia. However, their effect on long-term viral load, histological activity index (HAI), and fibrosis has not been well established. The aim of our study was to compare late viral load, HAI, and fibrosis in patients with versus without steroid boluses in the immediate posttransplant period. We analyzed patients transplanted due to hepatitis C virus. Inclusion criteria were no change in immunosuppression (cyclosporine or tacrolimus with/without mycophenolate); no steroids in the previous 4 months; no antiviral treatment; liver biopsy and viral load determination >12 months after transplantation. Exclusion criteria were HIV, hepatitis B, and active cytomegalovirus infection. Nonparametric tests were used to compare viral load, HAI, and fibrosis (Ishak-score) among patients who received steroid boluses for an acute rejection episode (group 1) versus those who did not (group 2). Among the 48 selected patients were 38 men with the overall mean age of the entire group of 55.6 +/- 10.9 years. The mean period from liver transplantation was 53.25 +/- 33.4 months. Thirty-four (70.1%) were treated with tacrolimus and the rest, cyclosporine. Eleven (22.9%) had and 37 (77.1%) had not received corticosteroid boluses. The viral load was similar in groups 1 and 2 (5.74 +/- 0.54 vs 5.98 +/- 0.53 Log(10) IU per mL, P = .32). Fibrosis was also similar (2.5 +/- 1.6 vs 2.2 +/- 1.7, P = .56). However, HAI was higher in group 1 (7.5 +/- 1.7 vs 6.0 +/- 1.7, P = .026). In conclusion, although long-term viral load was similar in patients who had versus had not received one cycle of steroid boluses, the HAI was significantly higher in the former cohort, but had not resulted in greater fibrosis during the study follow-up.