Aims: To establish the efficacy and safety of entecavir (ETV) and/or tenofovir (TDF) in the treatment and prevention of hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation.
Patients and methods: Eight patients (four men) received treatment with ETV and/or TDF after liver transplantation as prophylaxis for HBV recurrence or as posttransplant treatment of HBV. Four liver transplants were in patients with HBV-associated cirrhosis who had received prior nucleos(t)ide analogue treatment until HBV DNA became undetectable. After transplantation, two of these four were treated with ETV + TDF and the other two with just TDF. All received intramuscular hepatitis B immunoglobulins. The reasons for the other four liver transplants were primary biliary cirrhosis in two cases, alcoholic cirrhosis, and hepatitis C virus. Two of the patients were donor anti-HBcAb-positive/recipient anti-HBcAb-negative. They received no anti-HBV prophylaxis so they had a recurrence of HBV. These four patients required treatment with ETV+TDF for the HBV DNA to become negative.
Results: The mean age was 60 (39-67) years. The mean follow-up was 9.5 (3-20) months. The mean follow-up of the patients who received prophylaxis was 8.2 (3-19) months. These had no HBV recurrence. The mean follow-up of the patients who received treatment for HBV recurrence was 12 (3-19) months. ETV combined with TDF was necessary for the HBV DNA to become undetectable because this was not possible using different nucleos(t)ide analogues. There were no significant adverse effects from these drugs and no alteration of renal function during the follow-up period.
Conclusions: Therapy with ETV and/or TDF seems to be efficient and safe when used in the prophylaxis and treatment of HBV recurrence after liver transplantation. They are well tolerated and seem to have no interactions with immunosuppressive medication.
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