The role of ganciclovir in the prevention of post-transplant lymph proliferative disease in children underwent liver transplantation in Shiraz Namazi hospital

Abstract Lymph proliferative is the popular disease after organ transplant. The prophylactic use of ganciclovir is one of the solutions in preventing this disease. In this study, the effect of prophylaxis ganciclovir in the prevention of PTLD in children was examined. In this cohort study, case group of children who had undergone a liver transplant in January 2011 to March 2012 have been received prophylaxis ganciclovir. The control group of children, who underwent liver transplantation from March 2009 to December 2010, not received prophylaxis ganciclovir. The incidence of PTLD and mortality in the two groups were compared. Patient follow-up in relation to lymph proliferative disease and its side effect was carried out. Background information was obtained from the patient’s file. The data was analyzed by SPSS software. In total, 203 children with liver transplant were entered into the study. Control group of 108 children, 45 girls and 63 boys. The mean age of control group was between 8.7± 5.6 and in the case group was between 9±5.6. Case group of 95 patients, 37 were girls and 58 were boys. In the control group, 12 (11.1%) and in case group 5 (5.3%), PTLD were diagnosed (p<0.02). The mortality rate in the control group was 5(4.6%) and in the case group was 0. The difference was significant (p<0.05). Prophylaxis ganciclovir is effective in decreasing the rate of PTLD and the mortality resulting from that in children after transplant.