Zoe Mariño1, Laura Mensa1, Gonzalo Crespo1, Rosa Miquel2, Miquel Bruguera1, Sofía Pérez-Del-Pulgar1, Jaume Bosch1, Xavier Forns1, Miquel Navasa3. 1. Liver Unit, Institut de Malalties Digestives, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. 2. Pathology Unit, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. 3. Liver Unit, Institut de Malalties Digestives, Hospital Clínic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: mnavasa@clinic.ub.es.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Significant liver fibrosis (F ⩾ 2) and portal hypertension (hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG] ⩾ 6 mmHg) 1 year after liver transplantation (LT) are predictors of severe hepatitis C recurrence. Periportal sinusoidal fibrosis (SF) is an early expression of the fibrogenic process in response to liver injury. We aimed to evaluate whether SF in early liver biopsies represents an early and accurate marker for identifying patients with severe HCV recurrence after LT. METHODS: A total of 101 HCV LT patients with early biopsy (<6 months), and HVPG measurement and/or liver biopsy one year after LT were included. Early biopsies were stained with Sirius Red and SF was graded semi-quantitatively. Results were compared between groups (significant SF vs. non-significant SF) and correlated with the development of severe HCV recurrence one year after LT. RESULTS: Patients with early significant SF had older donor age and higher necroinflammatory activity (NIA). The presence of early significant SF enabled identification of 78.9% and 90.6% of patients with F ⩾ 2 and HVPG ⩾ 6 mmHg, respectively, one year after LT. Donor age and NIA were independent predictors of significant fibrosis (F ⩾ 2) one year after LT, whereas donor age, ALT (3 months), NIA, and SF grade were independent predictors of portal hypertension (HVPG ⩾ 6). CONCLUSIONS: Significant SF in early biopsies is a good predictor of severe hepatitis C recurrence. This histological finding, when combined with simple variables, may be useful to select the best candidates for early antiviral therapy after LT.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Significant liver fibrosis (F ⩾ 2) and portal hypertension (hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG] ⩾ 6 mmHg) 1 year after liver transplantation (LT) are predictors of severe hepatitis C recurrence. Periportal sinusoidal fibrosis (SF) is an early expression of the fibrogenic process in response to liver injury. We aimed to evaluate whether SF in early liver biopsies represents an early and accurate marker for identifying patients with severe HCV recurrence after LT. METHODS: A total of 101 HCV LT patients with early biopsy (<6 months), and HVPG measurement and/or liver biopsy one year after LT were included. Early biopsies were stained with Sirius Red and SF was graded semi-quantitatively. Results were compared between groups (significant SF vs. non-significant SF) and correlated with the development of severe HCV recurrence one year after LT. RESULTS:Patients with early significant SF had older donor age and higher necroinflammatory activity (NIA). The presence of early significant SF enabled identification of 78.9% and 90.6% of patients with F ⩾ 2 and HVPG ⩾ 6 mmHg, respectively, one year after LT. Donor age and NIA were independent predictors of significant fibrosis (F ⩾ 2) one year after LT, whereas donor age, ALT (3 months), NIA, and SF grade were independent predictors of portal hypertension (HVPG ⩾ 6). CONCLUSIONS: Significant SF in early biopsies is a good predictor of severe hepatitis C recurrence. This histological finding, when combined with simple variables, may be useful to select the best candidates for early antiviral therapy after LT.
Authors: Jason J Pan; Fei Bao; Emma Du; Chase Skillin; Catherine T Frenette; Jill Waalen; Lakshmi Alaparthi; Zachary D Goodman; Paul J Pockros Journal: Hepatol Commun Date: 2018-09-21
Authors: Daniel J Felmlee; Audrey Coilly; Raymond T Chung; Didier Samuel; Thomas F Baumert Journal: Lancet Infect Dis Date: 2016-06 Impact factor: 71.421