Author/Editor		Štepec, Srečko
Title		Liver transplantation in patients with chronic viral hepatitis from clinical viewpoint
Type		članek
Source		In: Ferlan-Marolt V, Luzar B, editors. Viral hepatitis. Proceedings of the 35th memorial meeting to professor Janez Plečnik with international participation; 2004 Dec 2-3; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Faculty of medicine, Institute of pathology,
Publication year		2004
Volume		str. 268-73
Language		eng
Abstract		End-stage liver disease related to chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) is the leading cause of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) worldwide. All patients with a complication of portal hypertension as well as patients with Child-Pugh score > 7 should be referred for liver transplant evaluation. Associated primary liver cancer is also a common indication for OLT. Outcome of OLT in patients with decompensated HBV cirrhosis or HCV cirrhosis largely depends on the prevention of allograft reinfection. Using lamivudine before transplantation and a combination of lamivudine and hepatitis B immune globulin after transplantation it is possible to reduce the rate of HBV reinfection in HBV replicative cirrhotic patients. Recurrence of hepatitis C virus in the graft is associated with a reduced guality of life and worse graft survival. Before transplantation, the severity of HCV recurrence may be reduced by reducing the pre-transplantation load. Over 90% of patients with hepatitis C on the waiting list might be candidates for therapy with interferon plus ribavirin. There is little consensus on the optimal approach to patients with HCV infection ongoing liver transplantation.
Descriptors		HEPATITIS B HEPATITIS C HEPATITIS, CHRONIC ACTIVE LIVER TRANSPLANTATION LIVER CIRRHOSIS