Risk factors affecting the incidence of CMV infection in recipients after living donor liver transplantation.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus with double-stranded DNA, causes complications and occasional death post-liver transplantation. The pre-transplant donor's and recipient's serological status is the primary potential factor for CMV reactivation. Our research aimed to assess risk factors that predict the possibility of CMV infection in post-liver transplant patients.

Methods: This retrospective study included 194 adult patients with hepatitis C-related end-stage liver disease (ESLD) who received liver transplants at the Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplantation between January 2014 and December 2018. The data were collected and analyzed regarding demographics, lab results, surgery details, and post-transplant outcomes to determine the rate of post-transplant CMV infection and identify its risk factors.

Results: The graft rejection was more common among recipients who developed CMV infection (31.8%) compared to those without infection (11.3%). CMV infection appeared to be more frequent among patients receiving cyclosporine-based immunosuppressive therapy. Recipients with higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores showed increased incidence of post-transplant CMV infection. CMV IgM seropositivity pre-transplant was associated with post-transplant CMV infection.

Conclusion: Cyclosporine-based immunosuppressants, younger recipient age, a higher MELD score, and pre-transplant positive CMV IgM status were found to be risk factors associated with post-transplant CMV infection. CMV infection appeared to be associated with graft rejection.