Obesity is an independent risk factor for pre-transplant portal vein thrombosis in liver recipients.

Background: Portal vein thrombosis is a frequent complication in end-stage cirrhosis with a considerable peri-operative risk for liver transplant candidates. We aimed to characterize the pre-transplant portal vein thrombosis in a cohort of liver transplant recipients, and to identify independent risk factors for this complication.

Methods: 380 consecutive primary orthotopic liver transplants were performed in the Digestive Surgery Department of "12 de Octubre" Hospital (Madrid, Spain), between January 2001 and December 2006.

Recipient and donor thrombophilia and the risk of portal venous thrombosis and hepatic artery thrombosis in liver recipients.

Background: Vascular complications, such as HAT, are an important cause of graft loss and recipient mortality. We aimed to characterize post-transplant thrombotic events in a cohort of liver transplant recipients, and identify independent risk factors for these complications.

Methods: We conducted a thrombophilic study of 293 orthotopic liver transplants performed in the Digestive Surgery Department of the 12 de Octubre Hospital (Madrid, Spain) between January 2001 and December 2006.

Rituximab is an effective and safe therapeutic alternative in adults with refractory and severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia.

Rituximab-induced B-cell depletion has been proven to be a useful therapy for autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of rituximab in the treatment of 36 patients with AIHA refractory to several treatments. These patients had received a median of four (one to eight) previous treatments, and 13 patients had undergone splenectomy.