Combination therapy with ribavirin and amantadine in renal transplant patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection is not superior to ribavirin alone.

Background: Standard treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection based on interferon is not an option in renal transplant recipients due to the high risk of acute allograft rejection.

Objectives: To assess efficacy and tolerability of combined treatment with ribavirin and amantadine regarding viral clearance, normalization of liver enzymes, and improvement of HCV-related hepatopathy and graft nephropathy in HCV-RNA-positive renal transplant patients.

Study Design: Prospective randomized controlled study comparing ribavirin, 1000 mg daily (n=7), versus ribavirin, 1000 mg, in combination with amantadine, 200 mg daily (n=8), for 12 months, versus no therapy (controls, n=26).