Search

To explore clinical characteristics, risk profiles, and outcomes of patients with portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) who have contraindications to liver transplant (LT).From the largest US single-institution registry of patients with PoPH, we analyzed 160 patients who did not receive LT between 1988 to 2019. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-pertinent characteristics, hemodynamic features, treatments, and risk stratification were compared at baseline, first follow-up visit, and censor/death time.Median survival for the entire cohort was 27.5 months from the diagnosis of PoPH. Overall survival was 89%, 77%, 51%, and 38% at 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. Survival was significantly affected by the severity of liver disease (P.001). Most patients received PAH-specific therapies (136 [85%]), predominantly monotherapy (123 [77%)]. With treatment, significant improvements were noted in World Health Organization functional class (P=.04), 6-minute walk distance (P.001), right ventricular function (P.001), pulmonary vascular resistance (P.001), and Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Disease Management (REVEAL) Lite 2 score (P=.02) univariately. Per European Society of Cardiology risk stratification, no patient met full criteria for low risk at baseline or at follow-up. In a multivariate Cox risk model, 6-minute walk distance, right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, bilirubin level, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-sodium score of 15 or higher were associated with increased risk of death.Patients with PoPH who did not undergo LT had a poor prognosis. This persisted despite use of PAH-specific therapies and significant improvements in hemodynamics, echocardiography parameters of right ventricle function, 6-minute walk distance, and World Health Organization functional class.

There are limited data regarding hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes in patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) following liver transplantation (LT).Data were retrospectively collected from consecutive HPS adult patients who underwent LT and were immediately admitted to the ICU at three transplant centers with shared management protocols, from 2002 to 2018. Demographic, clinical, surgical, laboratory, and outcome data were extracted.We identified 137 patients (74 male, 54%), with a median age at LT of 58 years (IQR: 52-63). One hundred and 31 (95.6%) patients were admitted to the ICU on invasive mechanical ventilation (MV). The median time on invasive MV in the ICU was 12 hours (IQR: 5-28) and 97 patients (74%) were extubated within 24 hours of ICU admission. The median highest positive end expiratory pressure and fraction of inspired oxygen (FiOMost HPS patients have short durations of MV, ICU, and hospital LOS post-LT. HPS severity does not impact hospital mortality.

BACKGROUND There is limited information concerning whether social determinants of health affect postliver transplant (LT) outcomes. This study aims to understand to what extent the health of LT recipients' counties of residence influence long-term LT outcomes. METHODS We used the United Network for Organ Sharing data to identify adult LT recipients transplanted between January 2010 and June 2018. Patient-level data were matched to county-level County Health Ranking (CHR) data using transplant recipient zip code, and nationwide CHRs were created. Mixed-effects Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations between CHRs and graft and patient survival post-LT. RESULTS Health outcomes rank was significantly associated with posttransplant graft and patient survival, with worst tertile counties showing a 13% increased hazard of both graft failure and patient mortality compared to the best tertile counties. CONCLUSIONS Although county health is associated with LT outcomes, it also appears that LT recipient selection is effective at mitigating major disparities based on county of residence and helps yield equitable outcomes in this respect.

The number of steatotic deceased donor livers encountered has continued to rise as a result of the obesity epidemic. Little is known about the histological characteristics of moderately macrosteatotic livers over time in the recipient following liver transplantation (LT). All recipients undergoing LT at Mayo Clinic Florida with donor livers with moderate macrosteatosis (30%-60%) from 2000-2017 were identified (n = 96). Routine protocol liver biopsies were performed 1-week and 6-months following LT. All liver donor and protocol biopsies were read by an experienced liver pathologist. Of the 96 moderate macrosteatosis LTs, 70 recipients had post-LT protocol liver biopsies available and comprised the study cohort. Median donor allograft macrosteatosis at the time of transplant was 33% (IQR, 30%-40%) compared with 0% (IQR, 0%-2%) at 1-week (P < 0.001) and 0% (IQR, 0%-0%) at 6-months (P < 0.001) following LT. Biopsies at 1-week post-LT displayed pericentral necrosis in 57.1% of recipients and lipopeliosis in 34.3% of recipients. In the 6-month post-LT biopsies, cholestasis was seen in 3 (4.3%) of the recipients, whereas grade 2 fibrosis was seen in 6 recipients (8.6%). Graft survival at 5 years in the present cohort was 74.0%. Moderate macrosteatosis (30%-60%) in the donor allograft demonstrates complete reversal on liver biopsies performed as early as 7 days following LT and remains absent at 6-months following LT. Both pericentral necrosis and lipopeliosis are common features on day 7 biopsies. Despite these encouraging findings, the perioperative risks of using these livers (postreperfusion cardiac arrest and primary nonfunction) should not be understated. Long-term graft survival is acceptable in patients who are able to overcome the immediate perioperative risk of using moderately steatotic donor livers.

OBJECTIVE Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients have moderately increased risk of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). We evaluated the incidence and survival of PAC in 2 cohorts and aimed to identify potential risk factors. METHODS This study performed a retrospective cohort analysis. Cohort A was extracted from the United Network of Organ Sharing data set and cohort B from SOT recipients evaluated at 3 Mayo Clinic transplant centers. The primary outcome was age-adjusted annual incidence of PAC. Descriptive statistics, hazard ratios, and survival rates were compared. RESULTS Cohort A and cohort B included 617,042 and 29,472 SOT recipients, respectively. In cohort A, the annual incidence rate was 12.78 per 100,000 in kidney-pancreas, 13.34 in liver, and 21.87 in heart-lung transplant recipients. Receiving heart-lung transplant, 50 years or older, and history of cancer (in either recipient or donor) were independent factors associated with PAC. Fifty-two patients developed PAC in cohort B. Despite earlier diagnosis (21.15% with stage I-II), survival rates were similar to those reported for sporadic (non-SOT) patients. CONCLUSIONS We report demographic and clinical risk factors for PAC after SOT, many of which were present before transplant and are common to sporadic pancreatic cancer. Despite the diagnosis at earlier stages, PAC in SOT portends a very poor survival.

The palatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) rs738409 G allele is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatocellular carcinoma,1 and all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in the general population.2 One recent Italian study reported an association between PNPLA3 polymorphism and liver-related events and mortality in biopsy-confirmed NAFLD.3 Regarding extrahepatic cancer-related mortality, one study showed that only women carrying the G allele without hepatic steatosis had a 60% lower risk for cancer-related mortality.4 However, owing to insufficient follow-up and selected populations, the results from these studies cannot generalize about the association between PNPLA3 polymorphism and liver- and extrahepatic cancer-related mortality at a population level. Thus, we investigated the association between PNPLA3 polymorphism and liver- and extrahepatic cancer-related mortality based on the presence of NAFLD in the U.S. general population.

We sought to determine the incidence and outcomes of malnutrition in patients with cirrhosis. We performed a retrospective chart review of 134 patients listed for liver transplant (LT) to assess the presence and degree of malnutrition identified by the Subjective Global Assessment score at the time of initial transplant evaluation, follow-up nutrition visits, and at the time of transplant. Number of admissions/readmissions to the hospital, reason for hospitalization(s), and length of stay were determined. Malnutrition was prevalent at initial nutrition visit (51.9%) and underdiagnosed. By the time of transplant, 61% of the patients were identified as malnourished. Most patients (52%) were awaiting LT for more than 180 days. The change in Subjective Global Assessment score after the initial nutrition assessment was statistically significant (p ≤ .007), with worsening malnutrition severity. Seventy-one patients (53%) required hospitalization while awaiting transplant, with a median hospital stay of 9 days. Nutrition expertise is required for prompt and accurate diagnosis of malnutrition in patients with cirrhosis. Nurses caring for patients with advanced liver disease are in a prime position to provide guidance to optimize patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIM The association between palatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) I148M (rs738409) polymorphism and mortality is not well understood. We investigated the impact of PNPLA3 I148M (rs738409) polymorphism on overall and cardiovascular mortality based on the presence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1991 to 1994 and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III-linked mortality data through 31 December 2015 were utilized in this study. RESULTS Of 4814 participants, 50.7% were homozygous for the C-allele and 12.6% were homozygous for the G-allele. During a follow up of 20 years, there were a total of 1255 deaths, 422 attributed to cardiovascular disease. There was a significant association with overall mortality among those with the PNPLA3 I148M (rs738409) GG genotype (hazard ratio [HR] 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.77) or G-allele (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.09-1.36) in the general population. NAFLD with homozygous PNPLA3 I148M (rs738409) GG genotype had higher overall mortality after adjusting for multiple metabolic risk factors (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.01-2.08). The PNPLA3 I148M (rs738409) G-allele had a tendency of increased cardiovascular mortality in the total population. This association was not noted in those with NAFLD. CONCLUSIONS The homozygous PNPLA3 I148M (rs738409) GG genotype showed an increase in overall mortality in the general population and NAFLD independent of multiple metabolic risk factors.

The impact of postreperfusion syndrome (PRS) during liver transplantation (LT) using donor livers with significant macrosteatosis is largely unknown. Clinical outcomes of all patients undergoing LT with donor livers with moderate macrosteatosis (30%-60%) (N = 96) between 2000 and 2017 were compared to propensity score matched cohorts of patients undergoing LT with donor livers with mild macrosteatosis (10%-29%) (N = 96) and no steatosis (N = 96). Cardiac arrest at the time of reperfusion was seen in eight (8.3%) of the patients in the moderate macrosteatosis group compared to one (1.0%) of the patients in the mild macrosteatosis group (P = .02) and zero (0%) of the patients in the no steatosis group (P = .004). Patients in the moderate macrosteatosis group had a higher rate of PRS (37.5% vs 18.8%; P = .004), early allograft dysfunction (EAD) (76.4% vs 25.8%; P

Malnutrition is prevalent in cirrhosis. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, including vitamin D, vitamin A, and zinc, are common and have been shown to correlate with survival. Our aim was to review the mechanisms of vitamin D, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies in cirrhosis and the clinical assessment of affected patients, their outcomes based on the current literature, and management. This is a narrative review including the relevant literature for cirrhosis and vitamin D, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies. Vitamin D deficiency has important effects in cirrhosis, regardless of the cause of chronic liver disease.These effects include associations with fibrosis and outcomes such as infections, hepatocellular carcinoma, and mortality. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with liver disease progression to cirrhosis and clinical decompensation, including occurrence of ascites or hepatic encephalopathy. Zinc deficiency can lead to hepatic encephalopathy and impaired immune function. Such deficiencies correlate with patient survival and disease severity. Caution should be applied when replacing vitamin D, vitamin A, and zinc to avoid toxicity. Identification and appropriate treatment of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in cirrhosis may reduce specific nutritional and cirrhosis-related adverse events. Routine monitoring of vitamin A, vitamin D and zinc levels in cirrhosis should be considered.

Background Limited data are available on the development of skin cancer and the associated risk factors for non-White liver transplant (LT) recipients. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of newly diagnosed skin cancer postoperatively and to identify the risk factors for the development of skin cancer in non-White LT recipients. Methods We conducted an initial retrospective chart review of non-White LT patients who received a transplant at our center between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2013. Results Of the 96 patients in the study cohort, 32% were Black, 17% were Asian, 15% were White Hispanic, and 10% were Black Hispanic. One patient had a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer before transplant. No skin cancers were diagnosed during follow-up (median, 1.3 years; range, 17 days to 8.6 years). Conclusion Our center's experience is consistent with the literature and suggests that the incidence of newly diagnosed skin cancer in non-White liver transplant recipients is low. Longer follow-up may provide additional insights into the specific risk factors for the posttransplant development of skin cancer.

Pre-liver transplantation (LT) renal dysfunction is associated with poor post-LT survival. We studied whether early allograft dysfunction (EAD) modifies this association. Data on 2,856 primary LT recipients who received a transplant between 1998 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who died within the first post-LT week or received multiorgan transplants and previous LT recipients were excluded. EAD was defined as (1) total bilirubin ≥ 10 mg/dL on postoperative day (POD) 7, (2) international normalized ratio ≥1.6 on POD 7, and/or (3) alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase ≥2000 IU/mL in the first postoperative week. Pre-LT renal dysfunction was defined as serum creatinine >1.5 mg/dL or on renal replacement therapy at LT. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to pre-LT renal dysfunction and post-LT EAD development. Recipients who had both pre-LT renal dysfunction and post-LT EAD had the worst unadjusted 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year post-LT patient and graft survival, whereas patients who had neither renal dysfunction nor EAD had the best survival (P

Background:. Direct-acting antivirals (DAA) are highly effective for the treatment of hepatitis C (HCV), although there are limited data on the safety and efficacy of DAA therapy in hepatitis C-positive individuals awaiting liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods:. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of HCV-positive patients who underwent liver transplantation for HCC at 3 liver transplant centers across the United States from 2014 to 2017 with follow-up to July 2018. Transplant recipients who received DAA before transplant were compared with those who did not (DAA naive) for posttransplant HCC recurrence rate, sustained virological response (SVR), allograft failure, and death using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models. Results:. A total of 171 HCV-HCC transplant recipients (99 pretransplant DAA; 72 DAA naive controls) were included, with a median follow-up of 24 months. The overall posttransplant HCC recurrence rate was 9% (15/171). Pretransplant DAA was not associated with HCC recurrence (5% versus 14%; P = 0.07), graft failure (7% versus 3%; P = 0.21), or death (12% versus 19%; P = 0.19) as compared with DAA naive patients. SVR rates were significantly lower (P

There is limited information concerning whether social determinants of health affect postliver transplant (LT) outcomes. This study aims to understand to what extent the health of LT recipients' counties of residence influence long-term LT outcomes.We used the United Network for Organ Sharing data to identify adult LT recipients transplanted between January 2010 and June 2018. Patient-level data were matched to county-level County Health Ranking (CHR) data using transplant recipient zip code, and nationwide CHRs were created. Mixed-effects Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations between CHRs and graft and patient survival post-LT.Health outcomes rank was significantly associated with posttransplant graft and patient survival, with worst tertile counties showing a 13% increased hazard of both graft failure and patient mortality compared to the best tertile counties.Although county health is associated with LT outcomes, it also appears that LT recipient selection is effective at mitigating major disparities based on county of residence and helps yield equitable outcomes in this respect.

Introduction and Objectives: Renal dysfunction before liver transplantation (LT) is associated with higher post-LT mortality. We aimed to study if this association still persisted in the contemporary transplant era. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data on 2871 primary LT performed at our center from 1998 to 2018. All patients were listed for LT alone and were not considered to be simultaneous liver–kidney (SLK) transplant candidates. SLK recipients and those with previous LT were excluded. Patients were grouped into 4 eras: era-1 (1998–2002, n = 488), era-2 (2003–2007, n = 889), era-3 (2008–2012, n = 703) and era-4 (2013–2018, n = 791). Pre-LT renal dysfunction was defined as creatinine (Cr) >1.5 mg/dl or on dialysis at LT. The effect of pre-LT renal dysfunction on post-LT patient survival in each era was examined using Kaplan Meier estimates and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses. Results: Pre-LT renal dysfunction was present in 594 (20%) recipients. Compared to patients in era-1, patients in era-4 had higher Cr, lower eGFR and were more likely to be on dialysis at LT (P

Background Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) is the presence of pulmonary arterial (PA) hypertension in patients with portal hypertension and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In a cohort of POPH patients, we describe the clinical outcomes of POPH patients who underwent liver transplantation (LT). Methods Retrospectively collected data from a prospectively assembled cohort of all consecutive POPH adults evaluated in three transplant centers from 1996 to 2019. Results From a cohort of 228 POPH patients, 50 patients underwent LT. Significant hemodynamic improvement after PA-targeted therapy was observed, with 58% receiving only monotherapy pre-transplant. After LT, 21 (42%) patients were able to discontinue and remained off PA-targeted therapy. The 1, 3, and 5 year unadjusted survival rates after LT were 72%, 63% and 60%, respectively. An elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) before LT was associated with worse survival rate (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.07-3.74, p=0.04). No survival difference was observed in those granted MELD exception or transplants performed before or after the year 2010. Conclusion Significant number of POPH patients discontinued PA-targeted therapy after LT. Higher PVR before LT was associated with worse survival, as was monotherapy use. Despite effective PA-targeted therapies, POPH survival outcomes after LT in our cohort were modest and may reflect the need for more aggressive therapy.

The COVID‐19 pandemic, caused by the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, has been devastating to health care delivery in many parts of the US and has had a significant impact on organ transplantation. With shelter‐in‐place orders, outpatient clinics transitioned to telemedicine, and the threat of hospitals being overrun with COVID‐19 patients, liver transplant programs have been faced with the challenge of balancing patient and staff safety while operating in a resource limited environment.

Background & Aims Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is a leading cause of end-stage liver disease. Hepatic steatosis and lipotoxicity cause chronic necroinflammation and direct hepatocellular injury resulting in cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma. Emricasan is a pan-caspase inhibitor that inhibits excessive apoptosis and inflammation; it has also been shown to decrease portal pressure and improve synthetic function in mice with carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhosis. Methods This double-blind, placebo-controlled study randomized 217 individuals with decompensated NASH cirrhosis 1:1:1 to emricasan (5 mg or 25 mg) or placebo. Patients were stratified by decompensation status and baseline model for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD-Na) score. The primary endpoint comprised all-cause mortality, a new decompensation event (new or recurrent variceal hemorrhage, new ascites requiring diuretics, new unprecipitated hepatic encephalopathy ≥grade 2, hepatorenal syndrome, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis), or an increase in MELD-Na score ≥4 points. Results There was no difference in event rates between either of the emricasan treatment groups and placebo, with hazard ratios of 1.02 (95% CI 0.59–1.77; p = 0.94) and 1.28 (95% CI 0.75–2.21; p = 0.37) for 5 mg and 25 mg of emricasan, respectively. MELD-Na score progression was the most common outcome. There was no significant effect of emricasan treatment on MELD-Na score, international normalized ratio, total serum bilirubin, albumin level or Child-Pugh score. Emricasan was generally safe and well-tolerated. Conclusions Emricasan was safe but ineffective for the treatment of decompensated NASH cirrhosis. However, this study may guide the design and conduct of future clinical trials in decompensated NASH cirrhosis. Lay summary Patients with decompensated cirrhosis related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are at high risk of additional decompensation events and death. Post hoc analyses in previous pilot studies suggested that emricasan might improve portal hypertension and liver function. In this larger randomized study, emricasan did not decrease the number of decompensation events or improve liver function in patients with a history of decompensated cirrhosis related to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03205345 .

Waitlist time for kidney transplantation is long but may be shortened with the utilization of hepatitis C positive allografts. We retrospectively reviewed the course of 36 hepatitis C positive patients awaiting kidney transplantation at 2 large centers within the same health system, with near-identical care delivery models with the exception of timing of hepatitis C treatment, to determine the impact of timing of hepatitis C treatment on access to transplant, waitlist time, and treatment efficacy and tolerability. The majority of patients had hepatitis C genotype 1a or 1b, and all received direct acting antiviral therapy with 100% treatment response. One patient underwent transplantation in the pretransplant treatment group. The 1-year transplantation rate was 12.5% vs 67.9% (P = .0013) in those treated posttransplantation. The median waitlist time in the posttransplant group was 122 (interquartile range [IQR] 21.5, 531.0) days, which was significantly shorter than the center's regional and national wait time. Pathologic review revealed no difference in allograft quality. Overall treatment related adverse events were not different between the 2 groups. A strategy of posttransplant hepatitis C treatment increased access to transplant and reduced waitlist time. Delaying treatment until after transplant did not appear to adversely affect recipients' kidney allograft or overall survival.

Understanding of outcomes for patients relisted for ischemic cholangiopathy following a donation after cardiac death (DCD) liver transplant (LT) will help standardization of a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease exception scheme for retransplantation. Early relisting (E-RL) for DCD graft failure caused by primary nonfunction (PNF) or hepatic artery thrombosis (HAT) was defined as relisting ≤14 days after DCD LT, and late relisting (L-RL) due to biliary complications was defined as relisting 14 days to 3 years after DCD LT. Of 3908 DCD LTs performed nationally between 2002 and 2016, 540 (13.8%) patients were relisted within 3 years of transplant (168 [4.3%] in the E-RL group, 372 [9.5%] in the L-RL group). The E-RL and L-RL groups had waitlist mortality rates of 15.4% and 10.5%, respectively, at 3 mo and 16.1% and 14.3%, respectively, at 1 year. Waitlist mortality in the L-RL group was higher than mortality and delisted rates for patients with exception points for both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) at 3- to 12-mo time points (p < 0.001). Waitlist outcomes differed in patients with early DCD graft failure caused by PNF or HAT compared with those with late DCD graft failure attributed to biliary complications. In L-RL, higher rates of waitlist mortality were noted compared with patients listed with exception points for HCC or HPS.

Organ procurement organization (OPO) performance is generally evaluated by the number of organ procurement procedures divided by the number of eligible deaths (donation after brain death [DBD] donors aged70 years), whereas the number of noneligible deaths (including donation after cardiac death donors and DBD donors aged70 years) is not tracked. The present study aimed to investigate the variability in the proportion of noneligible liver donors by the 58 donor service areas (DSAs). Patients undergoing liver transplant (LT) between 2011 and 2015 were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing Standard Transplant Analysis and Research file. LTs from noneligible and eligible donors were compared. The proportion of noneligible liver donors by DSA varied significantly, ranging from 0% to 19.6% of total liver grafts used. In transplant programs, the proportion of noneligible liver donors used ranged from 0% to 35.3%. On linear regression there was no correlation between match Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score for programs in a given DSA and proportion of noneligible donors used from the corresponding DSA (p = 0.14). Noneligible donors remain an underutilized resource in many OPOs. Policy changes to begin tracking noneligible donors and learning from OPOs that have high noneligible donor usage are potential strategies to increase awareness and pursuit of these organs.

Background: The use of liver grafts from donation after cardiac death donors (DCD LT) has been limited due to the increased rate of graft failure, mostly related to ischemic cholangiopathy(IC). It is our hypothesis that long term outcomes and quality of life similar to patients undergoing liver transplantation with donation after brain death donors (DBD LT) can be achieved. Methods: Clinical outcomes of all patients undergoing DCD LT (n = 300) between 1998-2015 were compared to a propensity score matched cohort of patients undergoing DBD LT (n = 300). Patients were contacted for a follow-up questionnaire and SF-12 Quality of Life Survey administration. All patients had at least 1 year follow-up. Results: Graft survival at 1-,3- and 5-years was 83.8%,75.5% and 70.1% in the DCD LT group and 88.4%,80.3% and 73.9% in the DBD LT group (p = 0.27). Patient survival at 1-,3- and 5-years was 92.3%, 86.1% and 80.3% in the DCD LT group and 92.3%,85.1% and 79.5% in the DBD LT group(p = 0.81). IC developed in 12% and 2% of patients in the DCD LT group and DBD LT group, respectively (p

Published reports describing the national experience with liver grafts from donation after cardiac death (DCD) donors have resulted in reservations with their widespread utilization. The present study aimed to investigate if temporal improvements in outcomes have been observed on a national level and to determine if donor and recipient selection have been modified in a fashion consistent with published data on DCD use in liver transplantation (LT).Patients undergoing DCD LT between 2003 and 2014 were obtained from the United Network of Organ Sharing Standard Transplant Analysis and Research file and divided into 3 equal eras based on the date of DCD LT: era 1 (2003-2006), era 2 (2007-2010), and era 3 (2011-2014).Improvement in graft survival was seen between era 1 and era 2 (P = 0.001) and between era 2 and era 3 (P0.001). Concurrently, an increase in the proportion of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and a decrease in critically ill patients, retransplant recipients, donor age, warm ischemia time greater than 30 minutes and cold ischemic time also occurred over the same period. On multivariate analysis, significant predictors of graft survival included: recipient age, biologic MELD score, recipient on ventilator, recipient hepatitis C virus + serology, donor age and cold ischemic time. In addition, even after adjustment for all of the aforementioned variables, both era 2 (hazard ratio, 0.81; confidence interval, 0.69-0.94; P = 0.007), and era 3 (hazard ratio, 0.61; confidence interval, 0.5-0.73; P0.001) had a protective effect compared to era 1.The national outcomes for DCD LT have improved over the last 12 years. This change was associated with modifications in both recipient and donor selection. Furthermore, an era effect was observed, even after adjustment for all recipient and donor variables on multivariate analysis.

Hospitalized patients with cirrhosis have a high rate of mortality. In the report by Bajaj et al., the negative impact of fungal infections (FI) on outcomes in a large US cohort of hospitalized cirrhotics is highlighted. Risk factors for FI are identified. Increasing awareness of FI along with the application of new diagnostic tools in species identification will provide the opportunity to improve patient outcomes.

Objectives Recent studies have suggested that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) could be a predisposing factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) although the results were inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted with the aim to summarize all available data. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted utilizing MEDLINE and EMBASE databases through September 2018 to identify all studies that compared the risk of NAFLD among patients with SIBO versus those without SIBO. Effect estimates from each study were extracted and combined together using the random effect, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird. Results A total of 10 studies with 1093 participants fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. A significant association between NAFLD and SIBO was observed with the pooled odds ratio of 3.82 (95% confidence interval, 1.93-7.59; I 65%). Funnel plot is relatively symmetric and is not suggestive of the presence of publication bias. Conclusion A significant association between NAFLD and SIBO was observed in this meta-analysis.

Renal dysfunction is common in liver transplantation (LT) candidates, but differentiating between reversible and irreversible renal injury can be difficult. Kidney biopsy might be helpful in differentiating reversible from irreversible renal injury, but it is associated with significant complications. We aimed to identify pre-LT predictors of potentially reversible renal injury using histological information obtained on pre-LT renal biopsy. Data on 128 LT candidates who underwent pre-LT kidney biopsy were retrospectively collected and correlated with renal histological findings. Indications for kidney biopsy were iothalamate glomerular filtration rate (iGFR) ≤40 mL/minute, proteinuria >500 mg/day, and/or hematuria. According to the biopsy diagnosis, patients were grouped into the following categories: normal (n = 13); acute tubular necrosis (ATN; n = 25); membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (n = 19); minimal histological changes (n = 24); and advanced interstitial fibrosis (IF) and glomerulosclerosis (GS) (n = 47). Compared with patients having advanced IF/GS, patients with normal biopsies and those with ATN had lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and higher international normalized ratio and total bilirubin levels (

Background: Fast-tracking is an approach adopted by Mayo Clinic in Florida’s (MCF) liver transplant (LT) program, which consists of early tracheal extubation and transfer of patients to surgical wa...

Background Increasing numbers of patients over the age of 60 are undergoing liver transplantation. Objective We sought to determine whether age or clinical morbidities were associated with pre- and post-transplant executive and memory performance using the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT). Methods Participants included 36 recipients with n = 20 in the older group (>60 y) and n = 16 in the younger group (≤60 years). The BTACT was administered an average of 3 months before transplant, and at follow-up post-transplant intervals of 3, 6, and 9 months. BTACT composite scores for memory and executive function with age and education norms were obtained. Results Older recipients were more likely to have hepatocellular carcinoma, a lower biological MELD score at transplant, less cellular rejection, and fewer post-operative hospital days. Older and younger recipients showed comparable pre-transplant executive and memory function and comparable post-transplant improvement. Both older and younger patients showed statistically significant improvement in executive function scores at 3 months post-transplant and maintained improvement at 6 and 9 months. Memory function improved significantly in older patients by 6 months post-transplant but did not improve significantly in the younger group. Conclusion Older liver transplant recipients were more likely to have hepatocellular carcinoma and a lower biological MELD score than younger recipients, but both age groups showed comparable pre-transplant cognitive performance and post-transplant cognitive improvement. Additionally, a normed telephone test can be used to effectively screen and track executive and memory function post-transplant.

The purpose of this study was to define the cholangiographic patterns of ischemic cholangiopathy and clinically silent nonanastomotic biliary strictures in donation-after-cardiac-death (DCD) liver grafts in a large single-institution series. We also examined the correlation of the radiologic findings with laboratory data and clinical outcomes.Data were collected for all DCD liver transplants at one institution from December 1998 to December 2011. Posttransplant cholangiograms were obtained during postoperative weeks 1 and 3 and when clinically indicated. Intrahepatic biliary strictures were classified by anatomic distribution and chronologic development. Radiologic findings were correlated with laboratory data and with 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft and patient survival rates.A total of 231 patients received DCD grafts. Cholangiograms were available for 184 of these patients. Postoperative cholangiographic findings were correlated with clinical data and divided into the following three groups: A, normal cholangiographic findings with normal laboratory values; B, radiologic abnormalities and cholangiopathy according to laboratory values; and C, radiologic abnormalities without laboratory abnormalities. Group B had four distinct abnormal cholangiographic patterns that were predictive of graft survival. Group C had mild nonprogressive multifocal stenoses and decreased graft and patient survival rates, although cholangiopathy was not detected in these patients according to laboratory data.Patterns and severity of nonanastomotic biliary abnormalities in DCD liver transplants can be defined radiologically and correlate with clinical outcomes. Postoperative cholangiography can depict the mild biliary abnormalities that occur in a subclinical manner yet cause a marked decrease in graft and patient survival rates in DCD liver transplants.