Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis with hepatitis C virus treated by double filtration plasmapheresis and interferon plus ribavirin after liver transplantation

• Published in: Clinical journal of gastroenterology Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 125 - 130
• Main Authors: Miyake, Teruki, Michitaka, Kojiro, Tokumoto, Yoshio, Furukawa, Shinya, Ueda, Teruhisa, Soga, Yoshiko, Abe, Masanori, Matsuura, Bunzo, Nakamura, Taro, Tohyama, Taiji, Kobayashi, Nobuaki, Hiasa, Yoichi, Onji, Morikazu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01-04-2009
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Case Report; Colorectal Surgery; Gastroenterology; Hepatology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Surgical Oncology; Liver failure; Hyperbilirubinemia; Hyperviremia; Cholestasis
• ISSN: 1865-7257; 1865-7265
• DOI: 10.1007/s12328-008-0057-5

Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) is a serious disease in patients with recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation (LTx). Antiviral therapy is indicated in these patients; however, it is not always effective, and the prognosis of FCH is generally poor. Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) has been shown to be effective at eliminating hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We report a case of FCH with severe cholestasis (total bilirubin 34.2 mg/dl) after LTx. Combination therapy with interferon (IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) was unsuccessful for improving cholestasis; however, the addition of DFPP to IFN and RBV alleviated cholestasis and improved renal function. Although IFN and RBV with DFPP could not eliminate HCV, results of liver function tests improved and remained stable for several months. This treatment with DFPP combined with IFN and RBV would be useful for resolving cholestasis due to FCH. Moreover, treatment of DFPP could improve liver and renal function test results and could stop the worsening condition of patients with FCH.