1748. Incidence of Cytomegalovirus Disease and Viral Replication Kinetics in Intermediate Risk Liver Transplant Recipients Managed According to a Preemtive Therapy Algortihm

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important opportunistic pathogen in liver transplant recipients (LTR). Risk of invasive disease is determined by CMV donor/recipient (D/R) serostatus, immunosuppression, and use of antiviral prophylaxis. Viral replication kinetics that can predict the development of CMV disease in transplant recipients are a high maximal viral load (VL) and a fast replication velocity. At our institution LTR at intermediate risk for CMV disease (CMV D/R+) are managed following a preemptive therapy algorithm (the pre-established cutoff for treatment initiation is 4,000 IU/mL). The primary endpoint of this study was to determine the incidence of early CMV disease in CMV D/R+ LTR. Secondary endpoints were to calculate the period of maximal VL and viral kinetic parameters.

We performed a retrospective observational study of CMV D/R+ LTR. Patients were followed for 6 months after transplantation. We calculated the incidence of CMV disease. Viral kinetic parameters calculated were the VL duplication time (Td) and the basic reproductive number (R0). For the assessment of viral kinetics we used the maximal VL of 10 patients who had a VL determined within the previous week.

Forty CMV D/R+ LTR were included. The median age was 52 years, 65% were women. The mean MELD score was 18, 83% of patients had decompensated cirrhosis. No patient developed CMV disease during the first 6 months after LT. Nineteen patients (47%) had CMV DNAemia, but only 8 (20%) required antiviral therapy. The highest VLs were observed during the second month after transplant. The median duplication time was 2.14 days. The median R0 was 1.46.

Although limited by our sample size, our algorithm appears useful for discriminating the patients who need antiviral treatment from those who will only have asymptomatic DNAemia. The study population VL, Td and R0 behave as described by other groups, which emphasizes the need for frequent monitoring. This is a challenge for CMV prevention in resource-limited countries.

All authors: No reported disclosures.