Hepatitis B prophylaxis: Cost-benefit analysis after liver transplantation

HBV recurrence, despite immunoprophylaxis which occurred in 67% of our patients, remains the main problem following liver transplantation for HBV infection. Pretransplant viral replication (HBV-DNA) and probably viral mutation may account to some degree for the failures involved in hyperimmunoglobulin prophylaxis. In order to improve the cost/benefit relationship, only HBV-DNA and HBeAG-negative patients should be selected or preoperatively seroconverted by nucleosides (famciclovir, lamivudine); postoperatively a variable HIG prophylaxis should be administered.