Recombinant α-interferon in renal allograft recipients with chronic hepatitis C

Although chronic hepatitis C infection is one of the factors that can lead to morbidity and mortality in renal allograft recipients, treatment procedures have not been well documented. Interferon treatment has been shown to be effective in the normalization of biochemical hepatitis C and in the clearing of hepatitis C virus RNA. However, little is known concerning the efficacy and safety of interferon treatment in renal allograft recipients with chronic hepatitis C. Interferon has also been accused of increasing renal allograft rejection. Recombinant alpha-interferon in a dose of 4.5 million units three times per week was given to five renal-allograft recipients with chronic hepatitis C for 6 months. Besides biochemical investigations, liver histopathologies before and after the treatment course were also studied. Interferon treatment was effective in two of the patients, in another two cases renal function deteriorated during the treatment. In the last case ALT increased again after cessation of interferon therapy. We conclude that interferon seems to be moderately effective in treating chronic hepatitis C in renal allograft recipients, but a risk of renal functional deterioration and rejection remains.