Retrospective Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 14, 2014; 20(34): 12217-12225
Published online Sep 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i34.12217
Impact of immunosuppression minimization and withdrawal in long-term hepatitis C virus liver transplant recipients
Tommaso Maria Manzia, Roberta Angelico, Paolo Ciano, Jon Mugweru, Kofi Owusu, Daniele Sforza, Luca Toti, Giuseppe Tisone
Tommaso Maria Manzia, Roberta Angelico, Paolo Ciano, Daniele Sforza, Luca Toti, Giuseppe Tisone, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Section of Transplantation, Tor Vergata University of Rome, 00133 Rome, Italy
Jon Mugweru, Kofi Owusu, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27106, United States
Author contributions: Manzia TM designed the research and wrote the paper; Angelico R and Sforza D performed the research; Toti L and Ciano P analysed the data; Tisone G, Mugweru J and Owuso K edit the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Tommaso Maria Manzia, MD, PhD, Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Section of Transplantation, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Viale Oxford 81, 00133 Rome, Italy. tomanzia@libero.it
Telephone: +39-6-20902498 Fax: +39-6-20902498
Received: September 28, 2013
Revised: February 17, 2014
Accepted: May 12, 2014
Published online: September 14, 2014
Processing time: 355 Days and 18.7 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: The ideal immunosuppression (IS) therapy in long term hepatitis C virus (HCV) transplant recipients is yet to be defined but over-immunosuppression should be avoided. The IS free status seems to show a favorable impact on the natural history of the disease but is only achievable in 20%-30% of liver transplant (LT) recipients. Therefore minimization of the therapy must be considered an alternative in those patients who require IS. The present study aims to compare the fibrosis progression in long-term IS-free HCV-LT recipients with those on low dose calcineurin inhibitors or on antimetabolite.