Risk factors associated with cytomegalovirus-positive antigenemia in orthotopic liver transplant patients

The aim of the study was to investigate risk factors associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV)-positive antigenemia in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) patients. Sixty-nine patients undergoing OLT during 2001 were retrospectively evaluated for CMV antigenemia during a follow-up of 6 months after transplantation for demographic variables, pretransplant donor and recipient CMV serologic status, etiology of liver disease, number of blood transfusions, and type of immunosuppression. Among the 69 patients who underwent 71 OLT in this period, 43 met study criteria. Mean age was 49.7 +/- 10.8 years and 60.5% were men. End-stage liver disease was the indication for liver transplant, except in one case. The most prevalent etiology of liver disease was hepatitis C and/or alcohol in 66% of the cases. CMV-positive status was recorded in 74% of donors and 95% of recipients. None of the CMV-negative recipients received a positive donor allograft. CMV-positive antigenemia was 84% with 12% having two episodes of infection. There was no correlation between CMV infection and age, gender, etiology of liver disease, or number of blood transfusions. However, all patients using cyclosporine had CMV-positive antigenemia compared with 61% using tacrolimus (P <.032). In this study, the incidence of CMV infection after OLT in adult patients was slightly higher than reported in literature. No risk factor was associated with CMV antigenemia; however, this study suggests a higher probability of CMV infection among patients treated with cyclosporine.