Prevalence and Predictors of Metabolic Syndrome After Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The development of metabolic syndrome (MS) after liver transplantation (LT) is a major source of mortality derived from cardiovascular events. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of MS after LT. METHODS: One-hundred seventy-four consecutive LT patients from January 2004 to June 2010 surviving longer than 1 year after LT were included. Median follow-up after LT was 48 months. Independent predictors of MS were obtained by means of multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: At 3 years after LT, 25.5% of patients reached a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2, 35.6% of patients developed arterial hypertension, 54.2% showed impaired fasting glucose, 22.5% had serum cholesterol >200 mg/dL, and 22.5% showed hypertriglyceridemia >150 mg/dL. The prevalence of MS ranged from 49% to 86% depending on the considered period. The pre-LT variables associated with MS were age at LT (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; P = .002), BMI of recipient before LT (OR, 1.23; P = .001), serum glucose (OR, 1.02; P = .005), and non-heart-beating donor (OR, 1.02; P = .046). The post-LT predictors of MS were body weight (OR, 1.04; P = .005), arterial hypertension (OR, 1.02; P = .047), and serum glucose (OR, 1.02; P = .011) at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: LT patients develop MS in a high proportion and progressively despite current efforts (ie, lifestyle modifications and aggressive management of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia). The associated risk factors include age, increased BMI, and pre- and post-LT glucose.

Biliary complications after liver transplantation using side-to-side choledochocholedochostomy reconstruction with or without T-tube.

BACKGROUND: Biliary complications are a frequent cause of morbidity, graft loss, and death after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The choledochocholedochostomy anastomosis without a T-tube is controversial, as it has been related to more biliary complications. AIMS: The aims of this study were to determine the incidence and to identify the risk factors of post-OLT biliary complications after reconstruction with or without a T-tube. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-five consecutive adult patients with deceased donor liver transplantations (overall survival rate, 86.3%; mean follow-up, 22.2 months) were analyzed to determine the incidence and type of biliary complications in 2 groups: choledochocholedochostomy with (45 patients, Group I) or without a T-tube (50 patients, Group II). The incidence of biliary complications in Groups I and II was 40% (18/45) and 30% (15/50), respectively (P > .05). In Group I, 49% of the complications were directly related to the T-tube. Biliary anastomosis stricture was more frequent in Group II (28% vs 8.9% in Group I; P = .018). Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was the most common therapeutic procedure for the resolution of biliary complications in both groups (Group I, 66.5%; Group II, 58.2%). Arterial thrombosis, high pretransplantation Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and donor obesity were identified as risk factors for biliary complications after OLT. CONCLUSION: OLT biliary reconstruction without a T-tube is not related to an increased risk of biliary complications, although stricutre of the anastomosis is more frequent in this group of patients. Donor obesity, arterial thrombosis, and high pretransplantation MELD score are associated with a higher incidence of biliary complications after OLT.

[Importance of nutritional support in patients with hepatic encephalopathy]. / Importancia de la nutrición en enfermos con encefalopatía hepática.

Protein calorie malnutrition is frequently a complication in the chronic liver disease patient and is considered to be a negative prognostic factor. Anorexia and several other endocrine metabolic complications produce an hypermetabolic state that needs more caloric intake. Hepatic encephalopathy is one of the developments possible in patients with descompensated cirrhosis. The wellknown role of ammonia in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy has determined a restriction in dietary protein along many decades. Nevertheless, there is no evidence about a low protein diet being better in the outcome of hepatic encephalopathy, it worsens, moreover, the nutritional status and helps in the development of many nutritional related complications. This article reviews the use of oral branched-chain amino acids and proteins of different sources, probiotics, synbiotics, antioxidants, oral L-Ornithine L-Aspartate and acetyl-L-carnitine in patients with hepatic encephalopathy.

Survival of patients receiving a liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma, and risk of tumor recurrence.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this research has been to evaluate the survival, in long and short term, of the patient receiving liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the risk of post-transplant tumor relapse and factors related to this complication. DESIGN: Retrospective study of a consecutive series of patients having had liver transplant for HCC. PATIENTS AND METHODOLOGY: Transplant patients for HCC from 1989 to November 2003. Patients were selected due to general limitations of nodule size and quantity, which were subsequently published as Milan criteria. Also, criteria agreed in the Conference of Barcelona were followed in the pre-transplant diagnosis. RESULTS: The survival of this 81 patients group was of the 80, 61 and 52% for 1, 5 and 10 years respectively. In the 32% of the cases the HCC was an incidental finding in the explant. In the 12.3%, the tumor relapse was verified. The multivariate research identified the size of the nodule (OR=1,7944) (IC 95%=1,1332-2,8413) and the vascular invasion (OR=6,6346) (IC 95%=1,4624-30,1003) as risk factors of relapse. CONCLUSIONS: The liver transplant in selected patients with HCC has good results in medium and long term. The risk of post-transplant tumor relapse becomes notably reduced and is associated with the size of the nodule and the microscopic vascular invasion.

[Value of duodenal drainage in the etiologic diagnosis of acute pancreatitis]. / Valor del sondaje duodenal en el diagnóstico etiológico de la pancreatitis aguda.

The most common etiology of acute pancreatitis (PA) in western Countries is gallstone disease. From recent data it has become clear that up to 30% of the so-called idiopathic AP are due to microlithiasis. Overlooking this diagnosis precludes to carry out a correct treatment and leads to relapses. In this prospective study bile for microscopic examination has been collected by duodenal intubation from 50 patients admitted because of AP of unknown etiology (history, laboratory data, ultrasound). In 21 patients the bile contained crystals, but only in 15 were considered as significant. Seven of these 15 patients underwent surgery which confirmed microlithiasis in all but one who had cholesterolosis. After cholecystectomy only one patient presented with a new episode of AP. In conclusion, microscopic examination of the bile may establish reliably a biliary origin in cases of AP of unknown etiology, allowing an adequate treatment of these patients and decreasing their risk of recurrences.