Initial immunosuppression with or without basiliximab: a comparative study.

Background: Following liver transplantation, acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease occur in 20%-50% and 30%-90% of patients, respectively. Basiliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody, is highly effective to prevent rejection in organ transplant recipients, particularly among patients with renal dysfunction who benefit from delayed introduction of calcineurin inhibitors.

Objective: The objective of this study was to measure the immunosuppressive effect of basiliximab and its impact on renal failure, lengths of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays and prevalence of infection.

Safety and anti-HCV effect of prolonged intravenous silibinin in HCV genotype 1 subjects in the immediate liver transplant period.

Background & Aims: Reinfection of the graft is the rule in patients with HCV cirrhosis undergoing liver transplantation, and HCV-RNA reaches pre-transplantation levels within the first month. Short-term intravenous silibinin monotherapy is safe and shows a potent in vivo anti-HCV effect. We aimed at evaluating the safety and antiviral effect of prolonged intravenous silibinin, started immediately before liver transplantation.

Partial splenic embolization and peg-IFN plus RBV in liver transplanted patients with hepatitis C recurrence: safety, efficacy and long-term outcome.

Background: There is limited information on the long-term outcome in liver transplant (LT) subjects undergoing partial splenic embolization (PSE) prior to full dose pegylated interferon/ribavirin (peg-IFN/RBV).

Methods: Retrospective review of eight LT subjects after PSE and antiviral therapy.

Results: Baseline platelets and neutrophils were <50 000 cells/mL and <1000 cells/mL in 75% and 50%.