Gradual Withdrawal of Immune System Suppressing Drugs in Patients Receiving a Liver Transplant

Summary

In order to prevent organ rejection, patients receiving liver transplants currently require life-long treatment with immune system-suppressing medications to prevent the rejection of the transplanted liver. However, these medications can cause long-term side effects, such as infection, kidney problems, diabetes, and cancer. In patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), these medications may increase the risk of HCV infection in the transplanted liver. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a slow withdrawal of immune system-suppressing medications is safe in two groups of subjects: those who receive a liver transplant due to HCV, and those who receive a liver transplant due to non-immune, non-viral causes of liver failure. The study will also look at whether slow withdrawal will help reduce the long-term side effects of immune system-suppressing medications and decrease the chance for HCV infection of the new liver in transplant patients with HCV.

Timeline

Start

2005-10

Primary completion

2015-09

Completion

2015-09

Publications

• Results Shaked A, DesMarais MR, Kopetskie H, Feng S, Punch JD, Levitsky J, Reyes J, Klintmalm GB, Demetris AJ, Burrell BE, Priore A, Bridges ND, Sayre PH. Outcomes of immunosuppression minimization and withdrawal early after liver transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2019 May;19(5):1397-1409. doi: 10.1111/ajt.15205. Epub 2018 Dec 31.
• Muthukumar T, Akat KM, Yang H, Schwartz JE, Li C, Bang H, Ben-Dov IZ, Lee JR, Ikle D, Demetris AJ, Tuschl T, Suthanthiran M. Serum MicroRNA Transcriptomics and Acute Rejection or Recurrent Hepatitis C Virus in Human Liver Allograft Recipients: A Pilot Study. Transplantation. 2022 Apr 1;106(4):806-820. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000003815.

Drugs

Indications