Recombinant {alpha}-interferon in renal allograft recipients with chronic hepatitis C

BACKGROUND.: Although chronic hepatitis C infection is one of the factorsthat can lead to morbidity and mortality in renal allograftrecipients, treatment procedures have not been well documented.Interferon treatment has been shown to be effective in the normalizationof biochemical hepatitis C and in the clearing of hepatitisC virus RNA. However, little is known concerning the efficacyand safety of interferon treatment in renal allograft recipientswith chronic hepatitis C. Interferon has also been accused ofincreasing renal allograft rejection. METHODS.: Recombinant -interferon in a dose of 4.5 million units threetimes per week was given to five renal-allograft recipientswith chronic hepatitis C for 6 months. Besides biochemical investigations,liver histopathologies before and after the treatment coursewere also studied. RESULTS.: Interferon treatment was effective in two of the patients, inanother two cases renal function deteriorated during the treatment.In the last case ALT increased again after cessation of interferontherapy. CONCLUSION.: We conclude that interferon seems to be moderately effectivein treating chronic hepatitis C in renal allograft recipients,but a risk of renal functional deterioration and rejection remains.