Human T-cell leukemia virus type I-associated myelopathy following living-donor liver transplantation

Liver Transpl. 2008 May;14(5):647-50. doi: 10.1002/lt.21414.

Abstract

This report describes a patient who developed human T-cell leukemia virus type I-associated myelopathy (HAM) following a living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Both the recipient and the living donor (his sister) were human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) carriers. Since the LDLT, he had been treated with immunosuppressive drugs such as tacrolimus and steroids as well as interferon-alpha to prevent rejection and a recurrence of the HCV infection, respectively. Even though the HTLV-I proviral load had decreased upon interferon treatment, he developed a slowly progressive gait disturbance with urinary disturbance 2 years after the LDLT and was diagnosed with HAM. This appears to be the first report of HAM development in an HLTV-I-infected LDLT recipient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic / etiology
  • Graft Rejection / prevention & control
  • Hepatitis C / complications*
  • Hepatitis C / surgery
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use
  • Liver Cirrhosis / surgery*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / virology
  • Liver Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Living Donors*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / complications
  • Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / drug therapy
  • Paraparesis, Tropical Spastic / etiology*
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Steroids / therapeutic use
  • Tacrolimus / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Urination Disorders / etiology

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Interferon alpha-2
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Steroids
  • Tacrolimus