OUTCOME OF RENAL-TRANSPLANTATION IN HEPATITIS BSAG-POSITIVE PATIENTS

Renal transplantation of patients with previous or ongoing hepatitis B virus infection has been tempered with a concern that immunosuppression may lead to viral replication and progressive liver damage. However, renal transplantation as therapy for endstage renal failure in these patients improves quality of life and reduces the risk of body fluid exposure to their carers. To assess the long-term outcome of renal transplantation in hepatitis-BsAg-positive patients a retrospective study was carried out on the patients transplanted in this unit since 1969. Seventy-six patients received 98 grafts up to December 1991; follow-up was available on 68. Thirty-one of the 68 patients died; the causes of death were infective 23, cardiovascular 6, liver failure 4, pancreatitis 2, aspiration 1, GI haemorrhage 1, and stopped therapy 1. Serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection did not correlate with outcome. The risk of developing liver failure after renal transplantation appears small in the hepatitis-BsAg-positive patients and no patient should be denied a renal transplant on the basis of serological tests.