Achieving Sustained Virologic Response in Liver Transplant Recipients with Hepatitis C Decreases Risk of Decline in Renal Function (original) (raw)

The effect of anti-viral therapy (AVT) on kidney function in liver transplant (LT) recipients has not been well described despite known association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We compared the incidence of CKD, and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 204 LT recipients with HCV based on treatment response to AVT. The median eGFR at baseline (3 months post-LT) was similar in the SVR (n=145) and non-SVR group (n=59) (69±21 vs. 65±33 mL/min/1.73 m2, p=0.268). In the unadjusted Cox proportional regression analysis, the presence of SVR was associated with 88% lower risk of CKD (HR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.05-0.31), and 86% lower risk of ESRD (OR: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.05-0.35). Similar result was found after adjustment for propensity score, and time-dependent Cox regression analyses. The estimated slopes of eGFR based on a two-stage mixed model of eGFR change revealed patients with SVR had significantly less steep slope than recipients without SVR [-0.60 ml/min/...