DNHB is common in countries with high prevalence of hepatitis B, and therefore, contracting hepatitis B after LT with HBcAb(+) grafts is a major concern. We studied DNHB in 247 children (aged <18 yr) who underwent LT from 1994 to 2013. Sixty-six of 247 recipients received HBcAb(+) donor grafts. The incidence of DNHB was 5.7% (14 of 247 children) and that in HBcAb(+) donor grafts was 19.7% (13 of 66 children). The incidence of DNHB without LAM prophylaxis was 31.3% (nine of 29 children), while that with prophylaxis was 10.8% (four of 37 children). LAM prophylaxis negatively correlated with DNHB by Cox regression analysis (p = 0.028, odds ratio = 0.258). Among 13 DNHB patients with HBcAb(+) donor grafts, eight recovered from DNHB and four showed the emergence of LAM resistance. There was no DNHB-related graft failure. This study showed that HBcAb(+) donor graft was associated with development of DNHB, and use of LAM prophylaxis decreased the incidence of DNHB with HBcAb(+) graft.
Keywords: Korea; child; hepatitis B core antigen; liver transplantation.
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