***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Hepatitis C is the most common indication for liver transplantation ( LT ) in the United States . Recurrence of hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) infection post-LT remains a problem for which there is no completely satisfactory treatment . The aim of the present study is to evaluate mycophenolate mofetil ( MMF ) , which has both immunosuppressive and antiviral properties , to determine whether it is associated with a difference in the rate of HCV recurrence and also examine its impact on patient and graft survival .  Between August 1995 and May 1998 , a total of 106 patients who were HCV positive before LT were r and omized to tacrolimus ( TAC ) and prednisone versus TAC , prednisone , and MMF therapy . The rate of recurrence of HCV , patient and graft survival , incidences of rejection , and histological findings were examined . Fifty six patients were r and omized to TAC and steroid therapy ( double [ D ] drug ; group D ) , and 50 patients were r and omized to TAC , steroid , and MMF therapy ( triple [ T ] drug ; group T ) . Liver biopsies were performed when liver function was abnormal ; protocol liver biopsies were not performed . Mean follow-up was 4.3 + /- 0.8 years . Actuarial patient survivals at 4 years were 72.6 % in group D and 73.8 % in group T ( P = not significant ) . Actuarial graft survivals at 4 years were 65.6 % in group D and 65.4 % in group T. One patient in group D and 2 patients in group T underwent a second LT for recurrent HCV . One patient in each group died of recurrent HCV without re-LT . Twenty-six patients in group D ( 46.4 % ) and 23 patients in group T ( 46.0 % ) showed signs of recurrent HCV . Mean hepatitis activity index ( HAI ) scores were 7.4 + /- 2.7 in group D and 7.0 + /- 3.4 in group T , and mean fibrosis scores were 2.9 + /- 1.7 in group D and 2.6 + /- 1.1 in group T. The rate of rejection was 0.57/patient in each group for the entire follow-up period . None of these values reached statistical significance . Rates of HCV recurrence , graft loss or death from recurrent HCV , and 4-year actuarial patient and graft survival were not different between the groups . In liver transplant recipients with HCV , MMF has no impact on patient survival , graft survival , rejection , or rate of HCV recurrence based on biochemical changes and histological findings . In addition , there was no difference in HAI or fibrosis score between the two groups . Either MMF has no anti-HCV effect or its immunosuppressive properties overwhelm its antiviral effect in the clinical setting Background . In this article , we explore the virological response to two types of interferon based treatment in recurrent hepatitis C virus in liver recipients who received thymoglobulin induction . Methods . Fifty consecutive patients were r and omized to receive PEG interferon alpha 2b ( 1.0 & mgr;g/kg per week ) , ribavirin ( 800 mg/d ) plus amantadine ( 200 mg/d ) , or PEG interferon alpha 2b ( 1.0 & mgr;g/kg per week ) plus ribavirin ( 800 mg/d ) . The primary endpoint was absence of hepatitis C virus RNA 6 months posttreatment . The secondary endpoint was change in fibrosis at 1 year . Results . Only 30 patients completed 1 year of treatment . In an intention to treat analysis , the sustained virological response ( SVR ) rate was 26 % in I/R/A group and 50 % in I/R group . By per protocol , the overall SVR rate was 57 % . Fibrosis progression by at least one stage was noted in 37 % patients . Twenty-nine percent of patients who achieved SVR had shown fibrosis progression by at least one stage whereas 46 % nonresponders showed fibrosis progression ( P = NS ) . Conclusion . This is the first study exploring the efficacy of pegylated interferon-based antiviral treatment in patients who received a steroid-free protocol . Our data is encouraging and shows that if liver transplant recipients can tolerate treatment for 1 year there is a reasonable chance of SVR OBJECTIVES To analyze sources search ed in Cochrane review s , to determine the proportion of trials included in review s that are indexed in major data bases , and to compare the quality of these trials with those from other sources . METHODS All new systematic review s in the Cochrane Library , Issue1 2001 , that were restricted to r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) or quasi- RCTs were selected . The sources search ed in the review s were recorded , and the trials included were checked to see whether they were indexed in four major data bases . Trials not indexed were checked to determine how they could be identified . The quality of trials found in major data bases was compared with those found from other sources . RESULTS The range in the number of data bases search ed per review ranged between one and twenty-seven . The proportion of the trials in the four data bases were Cochrane Controlled Trials Register = 78.5 % , MEDLINE = 68.8 % , Embase = 65.0 % , and Science/Social Sciences Citation Index = 60.7 % . Search ing another twenty-six data bases after Cochrane Controlled Trials Register ( CCTR ) , MEDLINE , and Embase only found 2.4 % additional trials . There was no significant difference between trials found in the CCTR , MEDLINE , and Embase compared with other trials , with respect to adequate allocation concealment or sample size . CONCLUSIONS There was a large variation between review s in the exhaustiveness of the literature search es . CCTR was the single best source of RCTs . Additional data base search ing retrieved only a small percentage of extra trials . Contacting authors and manufacturers to find unpublished trials appeared to be a more effective method of obtaining the additional better quality trials The aim of the study was to observe the frequency of neutropenia during Pegylated Interferon/Ribavirin therapy  in patient with chronic hepatitis C ; to compare the efficacy of two strategies of management of neutropenia -- with Interferon dose modification and with Neupogen administration ; to compare the effectiveness rate of sustained viral response ( SVR ) in patients with Pegylated Interferon dose modification and in patients treated by using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor G-CSF-filgrastim .  ( Neupogen ) . Study enrolled 47 patients with chronic active hepatitis C , aged 23 - 64 . ( 38 male and 9 female ) . All patients had HCV genotype 1b . Significant neurtopenia ( ANC<750 mm3 ) and severe neurtopenia ( ANC<500 mm3 ) developed in 41 of 47 patients ( 87 % ) . 41 patients with neurtopenia were r and omized into two groups . The first group--22 patients who received granulocyte colony-stimulating factor ( G-CSF , or filgrastim ) 300 mcg s/c weekly for correction of neutropenia and the second group--19 patients treated either with Interferon dose reduction or temporarily inhibit of Interferon treatment . In all 22 patients of the first group neutropenia was normalized without reduction and /or inhibit of Pegylated interferon . Neupogen was well tolerated and in all 22 patients the improvement of quality of life ( QOL ) was observed . It was concluded that dose reduction or temporary inhibit of Pegylated Interferon in the second group negatively acts on antiviral treatment response in patients with HCV genotype 1 . In patients with PEG-IFN/RBV therapy Neupogen effectively manages neutropenia and gives opportunity to maintain interferon dose ( without reduction ) . Neupogen has the potential to improve adherence rates , which may in turn improve SVR Ischemic preconditioning ( IPC ) has the potential to decrease graft injury and morbidity  after liver transplantation . We prospect ively investigated the safety and efficacy of 5 minutes of IPC induced by hilar clamping in local deceased donor livers r and omized 1:1 to st and ard ( STD ) recovery ( N = 28 ) or IPC ( N = 34 ) .  Safety was assessed by measurement of heart rate , blood pressure , and visual inspection of abdominal organs during recovery , and efficacy by recipient aminotransferases ( aspartate aminotransferase [ AST ] and alanine aminotransferase [ ALT ] , both measured in U/L ) , total bilirubin , and international normalized ratio of prothrombin time ( INR ) after transplantation .  IPC performed soon after laparotomy did not cause hemodynamic instability or visceral congestion . Recipient median AST , median ALT , and mean INR , in STD vs. IPC were as follows : day 1 AST 696 vs. 841 U/L ; day 3 AST 183 vs. 183 U/L ; day 1 ALT 444 vs. 764 U/L ; day 3 ALT 421 vs. 463 U/L ; day 1 INR 1.7 + /- .4 vs. 2.0 + /- .8 ; and day 3 INR 1.3 + /- .2 vs. 1.4 + /- .3 ; all P > .05 . No instances of nonfunction occurred . The 6-month graft and patient survival STD vs. IPC were 82 vs. 91 % and median hospital stay was 10 vs. 8 days ; both P > .05 . In conclusion , deceased donor livers tolerated 5 minutes of hilar clamping well , but IPC did not decrease graft injury . Further trials with longer periods of preconditioning such as 10 minutes are needed BACKGROUND & AIMS Recurrence of hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) infection is a relevant problem of liver transplantation programs . We evaluated the effect of antiviral therapy on disease progression in 81 HCV-infected liver transplantation recipients . METHODS Patients with mild hepatitis C recurrence ( fibrosis stage F0 to F2 , n = 54 ) were r and omized to no treatment ( group A , n = 27 ) or peginterferon alfa-2b/ribavirin for 48 weeks ( group B , n = 27 ) . Patients with severe recurrence ( F3 to F4 , cholestatic hepatitis ) were treated ( group C , n = 27 ) . All patients ( n = 81 ) underwent a liver biopsy  at baseline and after follow-up ; paired hepatic venous pressure gradient ( HVPG ) measurements were available in 51 patients . RESULTS Thirteen ( 48 % ) patients of group B and 5 ( 18.5 % ) of group C achieved sustained virological response . Liver fibrosis progressed > or = 1 stage in 40 ( 49 % ) of 81 patients : 19 ( 70 % ) of group A versus 7 ( 26 % ) of group B ( P = .001 ) and in 14 ( 54 % ) of group C. HVPG increased ( 6.5 to 13 mm Hg , P < .01 ) in patients in whom fibrosis worsened , whereas it decreased ( 5 to 3.5 mm Hg , P = .017 ) or remained unchanged in those with fibrosis improvement or stabilization , respectively . The only variable independently associated with fibrosis improvement/stabilization was treatment ( odds ratio [ OR ] = 3.7 , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] 1.3 to 10 , P = .009 ) . Among treated patients , alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) normalization and viral clearance were independently associated with histological or hemodynamic improvement/stabilization ( OR 5.3 , 95 % CI 1.5 to 18 , P < .01 ; OR 7.4 , 95 % CI 1.4 to 38 , P = .01 ; respectively ) . CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that in liver transplantation recipients , antiviral therapy slows disease progression ( particularly in sustained virological responders ) , as shown by its effects on liver histology and on HVPG Allograft reinfection with hepatitis C virus ( HCV ) in transplant recipients occurs commonly and represents a major concern in the transplant setting . Suppression of viral replication in HCV transplant patients should prevent or delay progression to cirrhosis and graft failure . In this ongoing study , we present preliminary data from a prospect i ve trial of st and ard interferon ( IFN ) alpha-2b ( 2 million units daily ) for 3 months and subsequent peginterferon ( PEG IFN ) alpha-2b ( 1.5 microg/kg/week ) for 9 months . IFN therapy was combined with ribavirin ( 10 to 12 mg/kg ) . So far , HCV has become undetectable by qualitative PCR in 33 % of patients while 25 % had a reduction of HCV RNA to undetectable by the bDNA assay and 42 % had no virological response after 6 months of therapy . A biochemical response was detected in 42 % of patients . Improvement of inflammatory activity was observed in 42 % of patients after 6 months . In three patients anemia necessitated administration of erythropoietin and three patients received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor ( G-CSF ) due to leucopenia [ corrected ] In conclusion , we observed that daily IFN alpha-2b and subsequent PEG IFN alpha-2b therapy in combination with ribavir 
    Output:
    
There was no significant difference in the mortality , graft rejection , or in re-transplantation between intervention and control in any of the comparisons that reported these outcomes .
None of the trials reported liver decompensation or quality of life .
Life-threatening adverse effects were not reported in either group in any of the comparisons .
Considering the lack of clinical benefit and the frequent adverse effects , there is currently no evidence to recommend antiviral treatment for recurrent liver graft infection with HCV .