A protocol for the management of hyponatremia peri-liver transplant reduces post-transplant neurological complications.

Rapid changes in serum sodium (ΔSNa) peri-liver transplant (LT) predispose to post-LT neurological complications (NC). We aimed to assess whether implementation of a protocol directed at limiting peri-LT ΔSNa reduced post-LT NC. A retrospective single-center review of adult LT recipients from 1/2016 to 10/2017 was performed. Patients with hyponatremia (SNa < 135 mEq/L) within 7 days of LT were analyzed in two eras: pre-protocol (1/2016-9/2016) and post-protocol (10/2016-10/2017). The primary outcome was the development of NC within 1 month of LT. Perioperative ΔSNa (ΔSNaPost-LT) was assessed as a secondary outcome. Among 85 and 107 patients who underwent LT pre- and post-protocol, 39 (46%) and 42 (39%) were hyponatremic within 7 days of LT, respectively. Significantly fewer patients in the post-protocol era developed NC vs. pre-protocol (7.1% vs. 25.6%, p = .02). Additionally, fewer LT recipients in the post-protocol era developed ΔSNaPost-LT ≥ 10 mEq/L (9.5% vs. 30.7%, p = .02). Intraoperatively, more patients post-protocol received hypotonic saline (33.3% vs. 2.6%, p < .01). Multivariable logistic regression revealed that transplantation in the post-protocol era was associated with significantly reduced odds (odds ratio 0.11, 95% confidence interval 0.01-0.50) of developing NC. In conclusion, the implementation of a multidisciplinary protocol aimed at reducing ΔSNa peri-LT was independently associated with a reduction in post-LT NC.