RENAL TRANSPLANTATION OFFERS BETTER SURVIVAL IN HCV‐INFECTED END‐STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is known to increase morbidity and mortality in the dialysis population. Renal transplantation is an offered treatment option after a careful pretransplant evaluation. This study assessed the impact of HCV infection on patient and allograft survival rates in a selected group of dialysis patients and kidney transplant recipients.The study included 252 end‐stage renal disease patients who were receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment or who received renal transplantation at our centre in 1995–96. Of the total, 116 [94 HCV (–) and 22 HCV (+)] underwent transplantation and 134 [106 HCV (–) and 30 HCV (+)] remained on HD. We retrospectively investigated 5 years of follow‐up findings in the records of these patients. All 22 HCV (+) individuals underwent liver biopsy to ensure there was no advanced liver disease before transplantation. None of the recipients or HD patients showed decompensation related to liver disease during follow up.The overall 5‐year patient survival rates for the kidney recipient and HD groups were 85.2% and 74.5%, respectively. Comparison of outcomes for the HCV (+) recipients had a significantly higher 5‐year survival rate than the HCV (+) HD patients (P<0.04). The 3‐year graft survival rates for the HCV (+) and HCV (–) transplant recipients were comparable, but the risks of chronic rejection and graft loss at 5 years were higher in the HCV (+) group (P<0.02, P<0.006, respectively). In conclusion, renal transplantation should be the preferred therapy in HCV‐infected dialysis patients because it improves the survival rates. HCV infection is associated with increased rates of chronic rejection and graft loss at 5 years post‐transplantation.