Hepatitis viral markers in patients undergoing primary liver transplants.

The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence in liver transplant (OLTx) patients of the hepatitis markers (anti-A, anti-B, anti-C, anti-D and HBsAg) and the interrelationships between markers and patients' sexes, ages, dates of transplant, clinicopathological diagnoses, and short-term survivals. Slightly more than half of the patients were male. Anti-A and anti-B were about evenly distributed between male and female. Anti-C, anti-D, and HBsAg were far more common in males. Age and year of transplant showed only a moderate increase in anti-A with increasing age. Anti-A was found in 57% of all patients, anti-B in 18%, anti-C in 17%, and HBsAg in 17%. Anti-D was tested only in patients who were positive for anti-B or HBsAg and occurred in 21 (11%) of 185. The poorest short-term survival occurred in males who showed both anti-A and HBsAg.

Hepatitis C testing. Comparison of Ortho's EIA and RIBA II tests in 1,182 patients undergoing primary liver transplantation.

Plasma samples from 1,182 patients undergoing primary liver transplantation were tested for anti-hepatitis C (HCV) virus by two methods: Ortho HCV ELISA Test System (EIA) and Chiron RIBA HCV Test System (RIBA II). The EIA results, 0 or +, were recorded first, followed by RIBA results, N = negative, P = positive, or I = indeterminate. Concordant results--0N, + P, + I--were found in 1,076 (91%), and discordant results were found in 106 (9%). The EIA optical density did not relate to concordant or discordant results. Band patterns were described by stating the band position (1, 2, 3, or 4) and inserting a dash (-) if no band was visualized. Most + P samples fell into two patterns: 47% showed all four bands, pattern 1234, and 15% showed the two-band pattern, 34. When the EIA was negative, 0P, the opposite was seen: 8% showed the 1234 pattern and 81% showed the 34 pattern. There were 226 samples that formed bands (+ P, 149; 0P, 31; + I, 15; 0I, 31). The frequency of bands was as follows: 4, 32%; 3, 31%; 2, 19%; and 1, 18%. Band 2 and the EIA test detected antibodies to the same c100-3 fragment and showed 74% concordance. No explanation is apparent for the lower concordance rate here than that between the EIA test and bands 3 = 96% or 4 = 88%. The EIA and RIBA II tests, together with positive liver function tests and abnormal tissue pathologic findings, provide a basis for the diagnosis of HCV.