Hepatitis B Seropositivity is Associated with Increased Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy after Heart Transplantation

Viral triggers have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), the Achilles heel of heart transplantation (HT). Cytomegalovirus is associated with impaired coronary endothelial function, and in pediatric HT patients a variety of viruses, particularly adenovirus, are associated with graft dysfunction or loss. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with vasculitis and vascular processes in non-HT patients. We thus investigated the association between HBV seropositivity and CAV after HT.

Source: The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation - March 31, 2020 Category: Transplant Surgery Authors: Y. Peled, J. Lavee, E. Maor, D. Freimark, L. Sternik, E. Ram Tags: (1222) Source Type: research