Purpose: Compare the incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients receiving induction to subjects that were transplanted without induction immunosuppression.

Methods: All patients that underwent an OLT between 1/1/06 and 4/1/12 were identified for analysis. Patients who received induction immunosuppression with a poly- or monoclonal antibody were identified as the Induction group. Patients without poly- or monoclonal antibody induction comprised the No Induction group. The primary endpoint is difference in biopsy-proven hepatitis C recurrence at 3 mos, 6 mos, and 1 yr. Other outcome measures include: survival, rejection episodes. 12 month outcomes were analyzed using the Fisher Exact test.

Results: The following describes preliminary results as research is in progress. 89 patients underwent OLT during the study period for HCV cirrhosis. 18 patients were excluded from analysis, 13 due to combined OLT/CRT and 5 due to less than 3 months of follow-up. Therefore, 23 received OLT without poly- or monoclonal antibody induction (No Induction group) and 48 received poly- or monoclonal antibody induction prior to transplantation (Induction group).

Conclusion:Preliminary results illustrate a significantly higher incidence of biopsy-proven HCV recurrence at 12 months in subjects that received poly- or monoclonal antibody induction compared to the No Induction group. Numerically higher rates of HCV recurrence on biopsy were seen in the Induction group at 3 and 6 months. Both empiric and biopsy-proven rejection rates remained comparable. Patient survival was also similar between groups.

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