Approval of Mycophenolate Mofetil for Prophylaxis of Organ Rejection in Pediatric Recipients of Heart or Liver Transplants: A Regulatory Perspective.

On June 6, 2022, the FDA expanded the indications for mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) to include the prophylaxis of organ rejection in combination with other immunosuppressants in pediatric recipients of allogeneic heart or liver transplants aged 3 months and older. The approved oral dosing regimen for these patients was a starting dose of 600 mg/m2 with titration up to a maximum of 900 mg/m2 twice daily. Data to support efficacy in pediatric patients were derived from established pharmacokinetic (PK) relationships across approved populations, a PK study in pediatric liver transplant recipients, and information from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients database. Information supporting safety was based on comparing mycophenolic acid (MPA) exposure with that in pediatric kidney transplant recipients, the published literature, and post-marketing safety reports. Efficacy in pediatric patients was established based on extrapolation of efficacy from studies in adult liver, adult heart, and pediatric kidney transplant populations, and similarity in MPA exposure between pediatric and adult patients. Review of the data supported an oral dosing regimen for pediatric heart transplant and liver transplant recipients consisting of a starting dose of 600 mg/m2 up to a maximum of 900 mg/m2 b.i.d. A dosage range for MMF is recommended recognizing that the MMF dose may be modified in clinical practice for myriad factors. The dosage recommendations in the labeling for pediatric liver and pediatric heart transplant patients are intended to permit individualized dosing based on clinical assessment of these factors.

Summary of 2017 FDA Public Workshop: Antibody-mediated Rejection in Kidney Transplantation.

Despite major advances in understanding the pathophysiology of antibody-mediated rejection (AMR); prevention, diagnosis and treatment remain unmet medical needs. It appears that early T cell-mediated rejection, de novo donor-specific antibody (dnDSA) formation and AMR result from patient or physician initiated suboptimal immunosuppression, and represent landmarks in an ongoing process rather than separate events. On April 12 and 13, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration sponsored a public workshop on AMR in kidney transplantation to discuss new advances, importance of immunosuppressive medication nonadherence in dnDSA formation, associations between AMR, cellular rejection, changes in glomerular filtration rate, and challenges of clinical trial design for the prevention and treatment of AMR. Key messages from the workshop are included in this summary. Distinction between type 1 (due to preexisting DSA) and type 2 (due to dnDSA) phenotypes of AMR needs to be considered in patient management and clinical trial design. Standardization and more widespread adoption of routine posttransplant DSA monitoring may permit timely diagnosis and understanding of the natural course of type 2 and chronic AMR. Clinical trial design, especially as related to type 2 and chronic AMR, has specific challenges, including the high prevalence of nonadherence in the population at risk, indolent nature of the process until the appearance of graft dysfunction, and the absence of accepted surrogate endpoints. Other challenges include sample size and study duration, which could be mitigated by enrichment strategies.

Absence of FcγRIII results in increased proinflammatory response in FcγRIII-KO cardiac recipients.

BACKGROUND: Alloantibody can contribute significantly to rejection of heart transplants by activation of complement and interactions with a variety of effector cells, including macrophages and monocytes through activating FcγRI, FcγRIII, FcγRIV, the inhibitory FcγRIIB and complement receptors. These receptors link cellular and humoral immunity by bridging the antibody specificity to effector cells. Activating FcγRs are also involved in serum amyloid P component (SAP)-mediated clearance of apoptotic bodies. METHODS: B10.A (H-2a) hearts were transplanted into wild-type (WT) or FcγRIII-knockout (KO) C57BL/6 (H-2b) mouse recipients. Levels of alloantibodies and SAP in the circulation were determined by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Intragraft cytokine mRNA expression was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Intragraft deposition of C4d, von Willebrand factor, SAP, and activated caspase 3 was visualized by immunochemistry. RESULTS: B10.A hearts in C57BL/6 FcγRIII-KO recipients were rejected acutely within 6 to 8 days compared with 10 to 14 days in WT. The rejection in FcγRIII-KO was accompanied by higher levels of circulating IgM/IgG alloantibodies and SAP than in WT recipients. Histology in FcγRIII-KO cardiac allograft recipients indicated perivascular margination of monocytes and neutrophils, vascular endothelial cell injury, and intense vasculocentric infiltrates with extensive apoptosis. Higher numbers of apoptotic cells, stronger C4d and SAP deposition, and extensive activated caspase 3 were found in areas of dense pockets of apoptotic blebs in FcγRIII-KO. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that absence of FcγRIII is associated with the lack of efficient SAP-mediated clearance of apoptotic cells through FcγRs. Apoptotic cells become immunogenic and induce enhanced inflammation, alloantibody production, and complement activation leading to accelerated cardiac allograft rejection.

The involvement of FcR mechanisms in antibody-mediated rejection.

BACKGROUND: Antibody-mediated rejection is characterized by macrophage margination against vascular endothelium. The potential interactions triggered by antibodies between endothelial cells (EC) and macrophages have not been examined thoroughly in transplants. We used in vivo and in vitro models of antibody-mediated rejection. METHODS: Passive transfer of monoclonal alloantibodies (Allo-mAbs) to donor major histocompatibility complex-class I antigens was used to restore acute rejection of B10.A (H-2a) hearts to C57BL/6 (H-2b) immunoglobulin knockout (IgKO) recipients. Intragraft cytokine mRNA expression was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. In vitro, mouse EC were cultured in the presence of Allo-mAbs to donor major histocompatibility complex class I antigens and mononuclear cells. Levels of cytokines in culture supernatants were determined in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Expression of MCP-1, IL-6 and IL-1alpha mRNA was higher in rejecting transplants from recipients treated with Allo-mAbs compared to non-rejecting transplants. EC sensitized with Allo-mAbs produced high levels of MCP-1 and KC. The addition of macrophages to sensitized EC stimulated high levels of IL-6 in addition to MCP-1, KC, Rantes, and TIMP-1. The levels of MCP-1 and IL-6 were significantly lower in co-cultures of EC sensitized with IgG1 Allo-mAbs in the presence of mononuclear cells from Fcgamma-Receptor III KO (FcgammaRIII-KO) graft recipients compared to co-cultures with wild-type cells. The levels of both cytokines were also lower in co-cultures of EC stimulated with F(ab')2 fragments of antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that IgG1 Allo-mAbs to major histocompatibility complex class I antigens can augment graft injury by stimulating EC to produce MCP-1 and by activating mononuclear cells through their Fc receptors.

B lymphocyte-directed immunotherapy promotes long-term islet allograft survival in nonhuman primates.

We found that an induction immunotherapy regimen consisting of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (Thymoglobulin) and the monoclonal antibody to CD20 rituximab (Rituxan) promoted long-term islet allograft survival in cynomolgus macaques maintained on rapamycin monotherapy. B lymphocyte reconstitution after rituximab-mediated depletion was characterized by a preponderance of immature and transitional cells, whose persistence was associated with long-term islet allograft survival. Development of donor-specific alloantibodies was abrogated only in the setting of continued rapamycin monotherapy.

Antibody-induced transplantation tolerance that is dependent on thymus-derived regulatory T cells.

Targeting of the CD45RB isoform by mAb (anti-CD45RB) effectively induces donor-specific tolerance to allografts. The immunological mechanisms underlying the tolerant state remain unclear although some studies have suggested the involvement of regulatory T cells (T-regs). Although their generative pathway remains undefined, tolerance promoting T-regs induced by systemic anti-CD45RB treatment have been assumed to originate in the peripheral immune system. We demonstrate herein that separable effects on the peripheral and central immune compartments mediate graft survival induced by anti-CD45RB administration. In the absence of the thymus, anti-CD45RB therapy is not tolerogenic though it retains peripheral immunosuppressive activity. The thymus is required for anti-CD45RB to produce indefinite graft survival and donor-specific tolerance, and this effect is accomplished through thymic production of donor-specific T-regs. These data reveal for the first time an Ab-based tolerance regimen that relies on the central tolerance pathway.

Expanded-criteria donor kidneys: a single-center clinical and short-term financial analysis--cause for concern in retransplantation.

BACKGROUND: Expanded-criteria donor (ECD) kidneys are associated with a higher risk of posttransplant failure, but they remain a favorable alternative to dialysis. Now that a uniform definition of "expanded criteria" exists, it is more appropriate than ever to evaluate their utility compared with that seen with non-ECD kidneys. METHODS: The authors analyzed 202 cadaveric kidney-only recipients that underwent transplantation from January 1999 to September 2001, including 45 (22%) recipients whose donors met current ECD criteria. RESULTS: ECD and non-ECD kidney recipients had similar pretransplant characteristics except for older age and increased duration of renal failure in the ECD group. Patient, graft, and death-censored graft survival in both groups were similar in primary recipients but significantly worse in retransplant recipients of ECD kidneys. The relative risk of death-censored graft loss was 1.58 in the ECD group (P = 0.45). Overall inpatient charges (minus organ acquisition charge) for 1 year posttransplant were 76,962 US dollars (ECD) versus 71,026 US dollars (non-ECD) (P = 0.53); the same charges in retransplant recipients were 136,596 US dollars (ECD) versus 91,296 US dollars (non-ECD) (P = 0.25). ECD recipients, especially retransplant recipients, had consistently higher creatinine concentrations, although the average current value of all functioning ECD grafts remains less than 2 mg/dL. ECD recipients had a higher incidence of ureteral stricture (4.4% vs. 0%), but this never resulted in graft loss. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the widening disparity between renal allograft availability and need and the fact that ECD kidneys provide superior outcomes compared with dialysis, the authors' data encourage the continued use of ECD kidneys in primary recipients but justify caution in the retransplant setting.

Transplantation for type I diabetes: comparison of vascularized whole-organ pancreas with isolated pancreatic islets.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to compare the efficacy, risks, and costs of whole-organ pancreas transplantation (WOP) with the costs of isolated islet transplantation (IIT) in the treatment of patients with type I diabetes mellitus. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: A striking improvement has taken place in the results of IIT with regard to attaining normoglycemia and insulin independence of type I diabetic recipients. Theoretically, this minimally invasive therapy should replace WOP because its risks and expense should be less. To date, however, no systematic comparisons of these 2 options have been reported. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of WOP and IIT performed at the University of Pennsylvania between September 2001 and February 2004. We compared a variety of parameters, including patient and graft survival, degree and duration of glucose homeostasis, procedural and immunosuppressive complications, and resources utilization. RESULTS: Both WOP and IIT proved highly successful at establishing insulin independence in type I diabetic patients. Whole-organ pancreas recipients experienced longer lengths of stay, more readmissions, and more complications, but they exhibited a more durable state of normoglycemia with greater insulin reserves. Achieving insulin independence by IIT proved surprisingly more expensive, despite shorter initial hospital and readmission stays. CONCLUSION: Despite recent improvement in the success of IIT, WOP provides a more reliable and durable restoration of normoglycemia. Although IIT was associated with less procedure-related morbidity and shorter hospital stays, we unexpectedly found IIT to be more costly than WOP. This was largely due to IIT requiring islets from multiple donors to gain insulin independence. Because donor pancreata that are unsuitable for WOP can often be used successfully for IIT, we suggest that as IIT evolves, it should continue to be evaluated as a complementary alternative to rather than as a replacement for the better-established method of WOP.

Factors differentially correlated with the outcome of liver transplantation in hcv+ and HCV- recipients.

BACKGROUND: Survival following liver transplantation for hepatitis C virus (HCV) is significantly poorer than for liver transplants performed for other causes of chronic liver disease. The factors responsible for the inferior outcome in HCV+ recipients, and whether they differ from factors associated with survival in HCV- recipients, are unknown. METHODS: The UNOS database was analyzed to identify factors associated with outcome in HCV+ and HCV- recipients. Kaplan-Meier graft and patient survival and Cox proportional hazards analysis were conducted on 13,026 liver transplants to identify the variables that were differentially associated with outcome survival in HCV- and HCV+ recipients. RESULTS: Of the 13,026 recipients, 7386 (56.7%) were HCV- and 5640 were HCV+. In HCV- and HCV+ recipient populations, five-year patient survival rates were 83.5% vs. 74.6% (P<0.00001) and five-year graft survival rates 80.6% vs. 69.9% (P<0.00001), respectively. In a multivariate regression model, donor age and recipient creatinine were observed to be significant covariates in both groups, while donor race, cold ischemia time (CIT), female to male transplants, and recipient albumin were independent predictors of survival of HCV- recipients. In the HCV+ cohort, recipient race, warm ischemia time (WIT), and diabetes also independently predicted graft survival. CONCLUSIONS: A number of parameters are differentially correlated with outcome in HCV- and HCV+ recipients of orthotopic liver transplantation. These findings may not only have practical implications in the selection and management of liver transplant patients, but also may shed new insight into the biology of HCV infection posttransplant.

Early kidney dysfunction post liver transplantation predicts late chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Acute and chronic renal dysfunction (ARD, CRD) are common complications after liver transplantation and are associated with poor outcome. METHODS: We reviewed the results of 181 liver transplants performed in our institution between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2000 in which the recipients were alive with good liver function at the end of the follow-up period (mean 2.7 years). Renal dysfunction was defined as a serum creatinine (Cr) greater than or equal to 2 mg/dL in both acute and chronic settings. RESULTS: The incidence of ARD during the first posttransplant week was 39.2% (n=71), whereas late CRD occurred in 6.0% (n=11) of the patients by the end of the follow-up period. Among the variables we examined for association with CRD, five factors were found to be statistically significant in univariate analysis: pretransplant diabetes (PRTDM) (0.000), Cr greater than or equal to 2 during the first postoperative week (0.003), posttransplant diabetes (POTDM) (0.014), age greater than 50 (0.025), and tacrolimus level greater than 15 ng/mL at postoperative day 15 (0.058). In binary logistic regression analysis, PRTDM (odds ratio [OR]=5.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]) and early postoperative ARD (OR=10.2 95% CI) remained consistently significant. Nine of 11 patients with CRD also had a history of ARD during the first postoperative week. These patients progressed to CRD despite the fact that seven of nine had normalized their renal function by day 90 posttransplant. CONCLUSION: We suggest that a combination of events during the first postoperative week after liver transplant serve as a physiologic "stress test" for the kidneys. Patients who fail the test (peak Cr >/=2 mg/dL during the first postoperative week) as well as the patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of CRD. In such cases, conversion to a less nephrotoxic regimen may be beneficial.

Structural and functional abnormalities in the islets isolated from type 2 diabetic subjects.

Type 2 diabetic subjects manifest both disordered insulin action and abnormalities in their pancreatic islet cells. Whether the latter represents a primary defect or is a consequence of the former is unknown. To examine the beta-cell mass and function of islets from type 2 diabetic patients directly, we isolated islets from pancreata of type 2 diabetic cadaveric donors (n = 14) and compared them with islets from normal donors (n = 14) matched for age, BMI, and cold ischemia time. The total recovered islet mass from type 2 diabetic pancreata was significantly less than that from nondiabetic control subjects (256,260 islet equivalents [2,588 IEq/g pancreas] versus 597,569 islet equivalents [6,037 IEq/g pancreas]). Type 2 diabetic islets were also noted to be smaller on average, and histologically, islets from diabetic patients contained a higher proportion of glucagon-producing alpha-cells. In vitro study of islet function from diabetic patients revealed an abnormal glucose-stimulated insulin release response in perifusion assays. In addition, in comparison with normal islets, an equivalent number of type 2 diabetic islets failed to reverse hyperglycemia when transplanted to immunodeficient diabetic mice. These results provide direct evidence for abnormalities in the islets of type 2 diabetic patients that may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.

Predicting outcome after liver transplantation: utility of the model for end-stage liver disease and a newly derived discrimination function.

BACKGROUND: The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) has been found to accurately predict pretransplant mortality and is a valuable system for ranking patients in greatest need of liver transplantation. It is unknown whether a higher MELD score also predicts decreased posttransplant survival. METHODS: We examined a cohort of patients from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database for whom the critical pretransplant recipient values needed to calculate the MELD score were available (international normalized ratio of prothrombin time, total bilirubin, and creatinine). In these 2,565 patients, we analyzed whether the MELD score predicted graft and patient survival and length of posttransplant hospitalization. RESULTS: In contrast with its ability to predict survival in patients with chronic liver disease awaiting liver transplant, the MELD score was found to be poor at predicting posttransplant outcome except for patients with the highest 20% of MELD scores. We developed a model with four variables not included in MELD that had greater ability to predict 3-month posttransplant patient survival, with a c-statistic of 0.65, compared with 0.54 for the pretransplant MELD score. These pretransplant variables were recipient age, mechanical ventilation, dialysis, and retransplantation. Recipients with any two of the three latter variables showed a markedly diminished posttransplant survival rate. CONCLUSIONS: The MELD score is a relatively poor predictor of posttransplant outcome. In contrast, a model based on four pretransplant variables (recipient age, mechanical ventilation, dialysis, and retransplantation) had a better ability to predict outcome. Our results support the use of MELD for liver allocation and indicate that statistical modeling, such as reported in this article, can be used to identify futile cases in which expected outcome is too poor to justify transplantation.

Insulin independence following isolated islet transplantation and single islet infusions.

OBJECTIVE: To restore islet function in patients whose labile diabetes subjected them to frequent dangerous episodes of hypoglycemic unawareness, and to determine whether multiple transplants are always required to achieve insulin independence. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The recent report by the Edmonton group documenting restoration of insulin independence by islet transplantation in seven consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes differed from previous worldwide experience of only sporadic success. In the Edmonton patients, the transplanted islet mass critical for success was approximately more than 9,000 IEq/kg of recipient body weight and required two or three separate transplants of islets isolated from two to four cadaveric donors. Whether the success of the Edmonton group can be recapitulated by others, and whether repeated transplants using multiple donors will be a universal requirement for success have not been reported. METHODS: The authors report their treatment with islet transplantation of nine patients whose labile type 1 diabetes was characterized by frequent episodes of dangerous hypoglycemia. RESULTS: In each of the seven patients who have completed the treatment protocol (i.e., one or if necessary a second islet transplant), insulin independence has been achieved. In five of the seven patients only a single infusion of islets was required. To date, only one recipient has subsequently lost graft function, after an initially successful transplant. This patient suffered recurrent hyperglycemia 9 months after the transplant. CONCLUSIONS: This report confirms the efficacy of the Edmonton immunosuppressive regimen and indicates that insulin independence can often be achieved by a single transplant of sufficient islet mass.

The use of non-heart-beating donors for isolated pancreatic islet transplantation.

Recent improvements in isolated islet transplantation indicate that this therapy may ultimately prove applicable to patients with type I diabetes. An obstacle preventing widespread application of islet transplantation is an insufficient supply of cadaveric pancreata. Non-heart-beating donors (NHBDs) are generally not deemed suitable for whole-organ pancreas donation and could provide a significant source of pancreata for islet transplantation. Isolated pancreatic islets prepared from 10 NHBDs were compared with those procured from 10 brain-dead donors (BDDs). The success of the isolation for the two groups was analyzed for preparation purity, quality, and recovered islet mass. The function of NHBD and BDD islets was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo assays. On the basis of the results of this analysis, an NHBD isolated islet allograft was performed in a type I diabetic. The recovery of islets from NHBDs was comparable to that of control BDDs. In vitro assessment of NHBD islet function revealed function-equivalent BDD islets, and NHBD islets transplanted to non-obese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficient (NOD-SCID) mice efficiently reversed diabetes. Transplantation of 446,320 islet equivalents (IEq) (8,500 IEq/kg of recipient body weight) from a single NHBD successfully reversed the diabetes of a type I diabetic recipient. Normally functioning pancreatic islets can be isolated successfully from NHBDs. A single donor transplant from an NHBD resulted in a state of stable insulin independence in a type I diabetic recipient. These results indicate that NHBDs may provide an as yet untapped source of pancreatic tissue for preparation of isolated islets for clinical transplantation.

Vulnerability of allografts to rejection by MHC class II-restricted T-cell receptor transgenic mice.

BACKGROUND: Examination of the in vivo activation and function of CD4+ T cells in response to allografts may advance our understanding of the rejection process. We analyzed the capacity of transgenic class II-restricted CD4 T cells to reject skin, cardiac, and islet transplants. METHODS: TS1 mice possess a high frequency of CD4+ T cells specific for the immunodominant epitope of the viral hemagglutinin (HA) protein. We analyzed the kinetics of rejection of skin, heart, and islet grafts by naïve and sensitized TS1 mice and by adoptively transferred TS1 lymphocytes. RESULTS: Rejection of heart transplants was more rapid than skin grafts (mean survival time, 12.9 vs. 26.6 days), and islet grafts survived indefinitely in TS1 mice. These findings may be partly attributable to the supranormal frequency of HA-reactive cells in TS1 mice. In support of this, we found that adoptive transfer of 5 x 10(5) TS1 lymphocytes to Balb/c hosts effected consistent rejection of HA-bearing skin transplants, whereas a significantly greater number (3 x 10(6)) was required for heart transplant rejection. The in vivo proliferative response of HA-specific T cells to heart and skin was found to be robust and predominantly localized to the draining lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: We developed a model of allograft rejection in which the responding T cells and relevant graft antigen are specifically defined. Adoptive transfer of carboxy-fluorescein succinimidyl ester-labeled transgenic T cells allowed us to visualize a robust proliferative response in vivo to heart and skin allografts, which in both cases was localized to regional lymph nodes.

Comparison of open, laparoscopic, and hand-assisted approaches to live-donor nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive donor nephrectomy has become a favored procedure for the procurement of kidneys from live donors. The optimal minimally invasive surgical approach has not been determined. In the current work, we compared the outcome of kidneys procured using the traditional open approach with two minimally invasive techniques: the standard laparoscopic procedure and a hand-assist procedure. METHODS: The function of live-donor kidneys procured by open versus minimally invasive procedures was compared (procedures compared were the traditional open donor nephrectomy [ODN], the standard laparoscopic [LAP] approach, and the hand-assisted [HA] laparoscopic technique). The length of donor operation, donor length of stay in the hospital, surgical complications, and cost of hospitalization for three groups of patients were assessed in a series of 150 live-donor nephrectomies. RESULTS: We found that both minimally invasive procedures yielded kidney allografts with excellent early function and a minimum of complications in the donor. The open procedure was associated with a reduced operative time but increased donor length of stay in the hospital. Resource utilization analysis revealed that both minimally invasive techniques were associated with a slight increase in costs compared with the open procedure, despite a shorter hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive donor nephrectomy is safe and effective for procuring normally functioning organs for live-donor transplantation. Of the two minimally invasive approaches examined, the hand-assisted technique was found to afford a number of important advantages, including facilitating teaching of residents and students, that it is more readily mastered by transplant surgeons, and that it may provide an additional margin of safety for the donor.

The outcome of liver grafts procured from hepatitis C-positive donors.

BACKGROUND: The growing prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in the general population has resulted in an increased frequency of potential organ donors that carry the virus. The survival of grafts from HCV+ donors has not been studied in detail. METHODS: Two study populations were examined retrospectively to assess the survival of liver grafts procured from HCV+ donors. First, we evaluated the survival of all 13 HCV+ and 103 HCV- grafts that were transplanted at our institution to HCV+ recipients from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 1999. In parallel, we analyzed a subset of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) liver transplant database from the same 5-year time period that was comprised of 14,195 adult patients for whom donor and recipient HCV serologies were known. Kaplan-Meier graft survival for both patient populations was calculated based on donor and recipient HCV serologic status. A Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed on UNOS data to identify variables independently predicting graft survival. RESULTS: For transplants performed at our institution, we found no statistically significant difference in the Kaplan-Meier graft survival of HCV+ and HCV- grafts transplanted to HCV+ recipients (P=0.68). The incidence of biopsy-proven, recurrent HCV posttransplant was similar in recipients receiving either HCV+ or HCV- grafts (4/13 vs. 18/103, chi-square P=0.211). Analysis of UNOS data revealed that the survival of HCV+ grafts in HCV+ recipients was equivalent to the survival of HCV- grafts in HCV+ recipients. Unexpectedly, the survival of grafts in HCV+ recipients in general was significantly inferior to that of grafts in HCV- recipients. Multivariate analysis of all patients found recipient but not donor HCV status to be independently predictive of graft survival. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of data from a single center and the national UNOS database suggests that transplantation of liver allografts from HCV+ donors to HCV+ recipients results in graft survival comparable to HCV- grafts transplanted to HCV+ recipients. In contrast, recipient HCV positivity is an independent predictor of graft failure compared with patients transplanted for other causes of liver disease.