Liver transplantation : official publication of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society
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Multicenter Study
Therapeutic hypothermia in acute liver failure: a multicenter retrospective cohort analysis.
The benefit of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) in acute liver failure (ALF) has not been previously demonstrated in a controlled fashion. This study sought to determine the impact of TH on 21-day survival and complications in ALF patients at high risk for cerebral edema. This was a retrospective cohort study of ALF patients in the US Acute Liver Failure Study Group with grade III or IV hepatic encephalopathy. ⋯ In conclusion, TH in ALF was not associated with increased bleeding or infections. Although young APAP ALF patients may benefit, TH did not consistently affect 21-day survival. A prospective trial is required to clarify the utility of TH in ALF patients.
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Multicenter Study
High early cardiovascular mortality after liver transplantation.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) contributes to excessive long-term mortality after liver transplantation (LT); however, little is known about early postoperative CVD mortality in the current era. In addition, there is no model for predicting early postoperative CVD mortality across centers. We analyzed adult recipients of primary LT in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) database between February 2002 and December 2012 to assess the prevalence and predictors of early (30-day) CVD mortality, which was defined as death from arrhythmia, heart failure, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, thromboembolism, and/or stroke. ⋯ The model showed moderate discrimination (C statistic = 0.66, 95% confidence interval = 0.63-0.68). In conclusion, we provide the first multicenter prognostic model for the prediction of early post-LT CVD death, the most common cause of early post-LT mortality in the current transplant era. However, evaluations of additional CVD-related variables not collected by the OPTN are needed in order to improve the model's accuracy and potential clinical utility.
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Multicenter Study
Analysis of factors associated with portal vein thrombosis in pediatric living donor liver transplant recipients.
The technique of vascular reconstruction plays a major role in the outcome of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). An increased use of vascular grafts (VGs) as replacements for sclerotic portal veins has become a standard technique for our group. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in pediatric LDLT. ⋯ In conclusion, the use of VGs was independently associated with the development of PVT. Over time, there was a reduction in the incidence of early PVT in this cohort, and there was a trend toward a reduction in total PVT. The occurrence of isolated PVT in this study was not associated with decreased patient or graft survival.
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Multicenter Study
Time of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after liver resection and alpha-fetoprotein are important prognostic factors for salvage liver transplantation.
Salvage liver transplantation (LT) is considered a feasible option for the treatment of recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We performed this multicenter study to assess the risk factors associated with the recurrence of HCC and patient survival after salvage LT. Between January 2000 and December 2011, 101 patients who had previously undergone liver resection (LR) for HCC underwent LT at 3 transplant centers in Korea. ⋯ The 5-year overall survival rate was approximately 54.6%, and the 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 49.3%. HCC recurrence within the 8 months after LR [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.124, P = 0.009], an alpha-fetoprotein level higher than 200 ng/mL (HR = 2.609, P = 0.02), and HCC outside the Milan criteria at salvage LT (HR = 2.219, P = 0.03) were independent risk factors for poor recurrence-free survival after salvage LT. In conclusion, the timing and extent of HCC recurrence after primary LR both play significant roles in the outcome of salvage LT.
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Multicenter Study
Changing etiologies and outcomes of acute liver failure: perspectives from 6 transplant centers in Argentina.
There is significant geographic variation in the etiologies and prognoses of acute liver failure (ALF). The aims of the present study were to determine the causes and short-term outcomes of ALF in Argentina, to evaluate the performance of prognostic criteria, and to identify clinical prognostic factors of death. We performed a retrospective analysis of 154 adult patients with ALF who were admitted to 6 liver transplantation (LT) programs between June 2005 and December 2011. ⋯ In conclusion, hepatitis B and AIH were the most frequent causes of fulminant hepatic failure in our series, and no cases of ACM overdosing were identified. A MELD score ≥ 29 and an encephalopathy grade ≥ 3 at admission were associated with death. The MELD score at admission showed the highest prognostic accuracy.