Risk Factors for Cytomegalovirus Viremia following Liver Transplantation With a Seropositive Donor and Seronegative Recipient Receiving Antiviral Therapy

Abstract

Background: The risk factors for development of viremia in high-risk donor cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seropositive and recipient CMV-seronegative (D+R-) transplant recipients are incompletely defined.

Methods: The study population comprised patients in the preemptive therapy (PET) arm of a randomized, controlled trial of PET versus prophylaxis using valganciclovir in D+R- liver transplant recipients. Weekly surveillance monitoring for viremia for 100 days was performed using a sensitive CMV-DNA polymerase chain reaction assays. Risk factors for viremia and time to onset (≤4 vs >4 weeks) of viremia were examined using logistic regression models.

Results: Viremia developed in 84% (79/94) of recipients and older donor age was the only independent factor associated with viremia (odds ratio, 2.20 for each quartile increase in donor age; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-4.52; P = .031). Recipients who developed early-onset viremia (within 4 weeks) also had significantly older donors than those with later-onset viremia (difference in age 10.1 years; 95% CI, 2-19; P = .03).

Conclusions: Older donor age was an independent predictor of viremia and earlier-onset of viremia in D+R- liver transplant recipients. Future studies should assess the mechanistic links underlying this novel association.

Clinical trial registration: NCT01552369.

Keywords: cytomegalovirus; primary CMV infection; transplant; viremia.