Immunosuppression in liver transplant.

The increasing potency of immunosuppression (IS) agents resulted in significantly decreased rates of steroid resistant rejection and rejection related graft loss in liver transplantation (LT). Currently, more than two thirds of late mortality after LT is unrelated to graft function. However, the increased benefit of more potent IS drugs, coupled with the prolonged survival of transplant recipients led to longer patients exposure to these drugs and their unwanted adverse effects, creating a double-edged sword.

Liver transplantation for alcoholic hepatitis in the United States: Excellent outcomes with profound temporal and geographic variation in frequency.

Medical-refractory severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) has a high mortality. The national frequency, longer term outcomes and regional practices of AH liver transplantation (LT) in the United States are not well described, despite the increasing mortality from alcohol-associated liver disease. We analyzed the trends in frequency and outcomes of UNOS data on 39 455 adult patients who underwent LT from 2014 to 2019, including AH LT recipients.

Is 70 the new 50? Complications and outcomes of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt in older versus younger patients.

Background: An increased risk of complications of TIPS in patients older than 65 years of age has been described, but data is limited. The objective of this study was to determine if the rate of complications post-TIPS differs in patients 65 or younger, compared to those older than 65 years of age.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients who underwent TIPS procedure at Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix, from 2010 to 2018, specifically focusing on complications and outcomes post-TIPS.

Improved Graft Survival After Liver Transplantation for Recipients With Hepatitis C Virus in the Direct-Acting Antiviral Era.

Highly effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has transformed outcomes of liver transplantation in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. We examined longer-term outcomes in HCV-positive recipients in the DAA era and analyzed the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients for primary adult, single-organ, nonfulminant liver transplant recipients in the United States from January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2018. Graft loss was compared among HCV-positive liver transplant recipients who received either an HCV-negative or HCV-positive donor (donor [D]-/recipient [R]+; D+/R+) and HCV-negative liver transplant recipients who received a HCV-negative donor (D-/R-).

Increasing Utilization and Excellent Initial Outcomes Following Liver Transplant of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-Viremic Donors Into HCV-Negative Recipients: Outcomes Following Liver Transplant of HCV-Viremic Donors.

Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has altered the frequency and outcome of liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis C virus (HCV). The high efficacy and tolerability of DAA therapy has also created a rationale for utilizing HCV-viremic (HCV-RNA-positive) donors, including into HCV-negative recipients. We examined trends in frequency of organ utilization and graft survival in recipients of HCV-viremic donors (HCV-RNA positive as measured by nucleic acid testing [NAT]).

Stretching the boundaries for liver transplant in the 21st century.

Given the high waiting list mortality, there is a clear need to identify strategies to increase the number of livers for transplantation. Some strategies require policy changes, whereas others depend on a better understanding of available opportunities. We divided the strategies to increase the number of livers for transplantation into two categories-those aiming to increase the use of organs considered to be of suboptimal quality, and those aiming to increase the use of organs considered to be of suboptimal size.

Isolated hepatic hemangiomatosis in 2 septuagenarians.

We report 2 cases of isolated hepatic hemangiomatosis: a 76-year-old woman who is, to our knowledge, the oldest person with this diagnosis, and a 74-year-old woman. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen showed T2 hyper intense lesions throughout the liver, peripheral nodular arterial enhancement, and filling of contrast on the portal venous and delayed phases. Computed tomography showed liver lesions with peripheral nodular enhancement in the early phase and a centripetal pattern or "filling in" during the late phase; the lesions opacified after a delay of 3 or more minutes and remained isodense or hyperdense on delayed scans.

International Liver Transplantation Society Consensus Statement on Immunosuppression in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Effective immunosupression management is central to achieving optimal outcomes in liver transplant recipients. Current immunosuppression regimens and agents are highly effective in minimizing graft loss due to acute and chronic rejection but can also produce a substantial array of toxicities. The utilization of immunosuppression varies widely, contributing to the wide disparities in posttransplant outcomes reported between transplant centers.

The New Era of Hepatitis C: Therapy in Liver Transplant Recipients.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the leading cause of end-stage liver disease in both Europe and the United States and is the most common reason for liver transplant. In the absence of antiviral therapy, recurrent infection is the norm with subsequent graft hepatitis and impaired survival. Whether it may be better to postpone therapy in patients in whom higher risk of failure and toxicity is coupled with lower chance of liver function improvement likely depends on several factors, including waiting time, center allocation policy, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma and local prevalence of anti-HCV-positive donors.

Current Concepts in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are chronic, cholestatic diseases of the liver with common clinical manifestations. Early diagnosis and treatment of PBC slows progression and decreases the need for transplant. However, one-third of patients will progress regardless of treatment.

Coated transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt does not improve thrombocytopenia in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background/aim: Thrombocytopenia is a common complication of chronic liver disease. The theory of portal decompression to improve thrombocytopenia due to hypersplenism has led to the study of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) as a potential therapy. However, there is a paucity of data and results have been conflicting.

Results of a protocol for the management of patients with fulminant liver failure.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of a protocol to support management of intracerebral pressure in patients with fulminant liver failure (FLF).

Design And Setting: A prospective series was conducted between May 2004 and September 2006 at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, a 650-bed teaching hospital in Phoenix, Arizona.

Patients: We recruited consecutive patients with FLF and stage 3 or 4 encephalopathy.