Survival rate similar in HIV positive, negative patients after liver transplant

Washington, Apr 25 (ANI): A research team led by Indian origin scientist has found no difference in the survival rates of HIV positive and HIV negative patients after undergoing liver transplant.

After analysing 6,315 adult patients, the results showed no difference in survival rates at 1 and 5 years between HIV negative and HIV positive patients (86.5pct and 74pct versus 87.1pct and 78 pct), suggesting a good prognosis for HIV positive patients following liver transplant.

However, the study confirmed that co-infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant predictor of poorer survival rates in patients with HIV.

The survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 73pct and 53pct in HIV positive patients with hepatitis C versus 87pct and 69pct in HIV negative patients with hepatitis C.

"Data on long term outcomes from liver transplantation in HIV patients is limited. These study results are valuable confirmation that selected HIV positive patients are as suitable candidates for liver transplant as HIV negative patients and should have similar access to treatment," said Dr Kosh Agarwal, of the Institute of Liver Studies, Kings College Hospital, London.

"However, those patients with co-infection with hepatitis C did less well, emphasising the need for appropriate antiviral therapy early in the course of their HCV related liver disease.

"In the context of co-infection, these data emphasise the need to develop newer and more innovative treatment strategies.

"These should include exposure to new small molecule therapies for HCV that are currently being explored in mono-infection," the expert added.

The findings were presented at Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Liver in Copenhagen, Denmark. (ANI)