Prevention of de novo hepatitis B in recipients of core antibody-positive livers with lamivudine and other nucleos(t)ides: a 12-year experience.

Background: Lamivudine (LAM) has been shown to prevent de novo hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in recipients of hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)-positive liver transplants (LT) but primarily in small studies with limited follow-up.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of HBcAb+ graft recipients at our institution from October 1999 to August 2008.

Results: One hundred nineteen recipients without prior HBV were identified (median age, 54 years; 70% male), of which 62 received LAM.