Recent outcomes of liver transplantation for Budd-Chiari syndrome: A study of the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR) and affiliated centers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Management of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) has improved over the last decades. The main aim was to evaluate the contemporary post-liver transplant (post-LT) outcomes in Europe. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Data from all patients who underwent transplantation from 1976 to 2020 was obtained from the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR). Patients < 16 years, with secondary BCS or HCC were excluded. Patient survival (PS) and graft survival (GS) before and after 2000 were compared. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified predictors of PS and GS after 2000. Supplemental data was requested from all ELTR-affiliated centers and received from 44. In all, 808 patients underwent transplantation between 2000 and 2020. One-, 5- and 10-year PS was 84%, 77%, and 68%, and GS was 79%, 70%, and 62%, respectively. Both significantly improved compared to outcomes before 2000 ( p < 0.001). Median follow-up was 50 months and retransplantation rate was 12%. Recipient age (aHR:1.04,95%CI:1.02-1.06) and MELD score (aHR:1.04,95%CI:1.01-1.06), especially above 30, were associated with worse PS, while male sex had better outcomes (aHR:0.63,95%CI:0.41-0.96). Donor age was associated with worse PS (aHR:1.01,95%CI:1.00-1.03) and GS (aHR:1.02,95%CI:1.01-1.03). In 353 patients (44%) with supplemental data, 33% had myeloproliferative neoplasm, 20% underwent TIPS pre-LT, and 85% used anticoagulation post-LT. Post-LT anticoagulation was associated with improved PS (aHR:0.29,95%CI:0.16-0.54) and GS (aHR:0.48,95%CI:0.29-0.81). Hepatic artery thrombosis and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) occurred in 9% and 7%, while recurrent BCS was rare (3%). CONCLUSIONS: LT for BCS results in excellent patient- and graft-survival. Older recipient or donor age and higher MELD are associated with poorer outcomes, while long-term anticoagulation improves both patient and graft outcomes.

Cyclosporine vs. tacrolimus after liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis - a propensity score-matched intention-to-treat analysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: There is controversy regarding the optimal calcineurin inhibitor type after liver transplant(ation) (LT) for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). We compared tacrolimus with cyclosporine in a propensity score-matched intention-to-treat analysis based on registries representing nearly all LTs in Europe and the US. METHODS: From the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR) and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), we included adult patients with PSC undergoing a primary LT between 2000-2020. Patients initially treated with cyclosporine were propensity score-matched 1:3 with those initially treated with tacrolimus. The primary outcomes were patient and graft survival rates. RESULTS: The propensity score-matched sample comprised 399 cyclosporine-treated and 1,197 tacrolimus-treated patients with PSC. During a median follow-up of 7.4 years (IQR 2.3-12.8, 12,579.2 person-years), there were 480 deaths and 231 re-LTs. The initial tacrolimus treatment was superior to cyclosporine in terms of patient and graft survival, with 10-year patient survival estimates of 72.8% for tacrolimus and 65.2% for cyclosporine (p <0.001) and 10-year graft survival estimates of 62.4% and 53.8% (p <0.001), respectively. These findings were consistent in the subgroups according to age, sex, registry (ELTR vs. SRTR), time period of LT, MELD score, and diabetes status. The acute rejection rates were similar between groups. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, tacrolimus (hazard ratio 0.72, p <0.001) and mycophenolate use (hazard ratio 0.82, p = 0.03) were associated with a reduced risk of graft loss or death, whereas steroid use was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Tacrolimus is associated with better patient and graft survival rates than cyclosporine and should be the standard calcineurin inhibitor used after LT for patients with PSC. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: The optimal calcineurin inhibitor to use after liver transplantation in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis has yet to be firmly established. Since randomized trials with long follow-up are unlikely to be performed, multicontinental long-term registry data are essential in informing clinical practices. Our study supports the practice of using tacrolimus instead of cyclosporine in the initial immunosuppressive regimen after liver transplantation for patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. The retrospective registry-based design is a limitation.

Long-term survival after liver transplantation for alcohol-related liver disease in the Nordic countries.

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is among the most common indications for liver transplantation (LTX) in Europe and North America, with good five-year survival rates post-LTX. Here we evaluated survival up to and beyond 20 years after LTX for patients with ALD compared to a comparison group. METHODS: Patients with ALD and a comparison group transplanted in the Nordic countries between 1982 and 2020 were included. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier curves and predictors of survival were assessed with Cox-regressions. RESULTS: 831 patients with ALD and 2979 patients in the comparison group were included in the study. Patients with ALD were older at the time of LTX (p < .001) and more likely to be male (p < .001). The estimated median follow-up time was 9.1 years for the ALD-group and 11.1 years for the comparison group. 333 (40.1%) patients with ALD and 1010 (33.9%) patients in the comparison group died during follow-up. The overall survival was impaired for patients with ALD compared to the comparison group (p < .001) and was evident for male and female patients, patients transplanted before and after 2005, and observed in all age-groups except patients over 60 years. Age at transplant, waiting time, year of LTX and country of LTX were associated with decreased survival after LTX for patients with ALD. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ALD have a decreased long-term survival following LTX. This difference was evident in most sub-groups of patients and warrants close follow-up of liver transplanted patients with ALD with focus on risk reduction.

Alcohol as a risk factor for mortality in liver transplant patients in Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: Liver transplantation (LT) is the only available cure for end-stage liver disease and one of the best treatment options for hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Patients with known alcohol-associated cirrhosis (AC) are routinely assessed for alcohol dependence or abuse before LT. Patients with other liver diseases than AC may consume alcohol both before and after LT. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of alcohol drinking before and after LT on patient and graft survival regardless of the etiology of liver disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 2012 and December 2015, 200 LT-recipients were interviewed using the Lifetime Drinking History and the Addiction Severity Index questionnaire. Patients were categorized as having AC, n = 24, HCC and/or hepatitis C cirrhosis (HCV), n = 69 or other liver diseases, n = 107. Patients were monitored and interviewed by transplantation-independent staff for two years after LT with questions regarding their alcohol consumption. Patient and graft survival data were retrieved in October 2019. RESULTS: Patients with AC had an increased hazard ratio (HR) for death after LT (crude HR: 4.05, 95% CI: 1.07-15.33, p = 0.04) and for graft loss adjusted for age and gender (adjusted HR: 3.24, 95% CI 1.08-9.77, p = 0.04) compared to the other patients in the cohort. There was no significant effect of the volume of alcohol consumed before or after LT on graft loss or overall survival. CONCLUSION: Patients transplanted for AC have a worse prognosis, but we found no correlation between alcohol consumed before or after LT and graft or patient survival.

Novel Benchmark Values for Redo Liver Transplantation: Does the Outcome Justify the Effort?

OBJECTIVE: To define benchmark cutoffs for redo liver transplantation (redo-LT). BACKGROUND: In the era of organ shortage, redo-LT is frequently discussed in terms of expected poor outcome and wasteful resources. However, there is a lack of benchmark data to reliably evaluate outcomes after redo-LT. METHODS: We collected data on redo-LT between January 2010 and December 2018 from 22 high-volume transplant centers. Benchmark cases were defined as recipients with model of end stage liver disease (MELD) score ≤25, absence of portal vein thrombosis, no mechanical ventilation at the time of surgery, receiving a graft from a donor after brain death. Also, high-urgent priority and early redo-LT including those for primary nonfunction (PNF) or hepatic artery thrombosis were excluded. Benchmark cutoffs were derived from the 75th percentile of the medians of all benchmark centers. RESULTS: Of 1110 redo-LT, 373 (34%) cases qualified as benchmark cases. Among these cases, the rate of postoperative complications until discharge was 76%, and increased up to 87% at 1-year, respectively. One-year overall survival rate was excellent with 90%. Benchmark cutoffs included Comprehensive Complication Index CCI ® at 1-year of ≤72, and in-hospital and 1-year mortality rates of ≤13% and ≤15%, respectively. In contrast, patients who received a redo-LT for PNF showed worse outcomes with some values dramatically outside the redo-LT benchmarks. CONCLUSION: This study shows that redo-LT achieves good outcome when looking at benchmark scenarios. However, this figure changes in high-risk redo-LT, as for example in PNF. This analysis objectifies for the first-time results and efforts for redo-LT and can serve as a basis for discussion about the use of scarce resources.

Protective Role of Tacrolimus, Deleterious Role of Age and Comorbidities in Liver Transplant Recipients With Covid-19: Results From the ELITA/ELTR Multi-center European Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite concerns that liver transplant (LT) recipients may be at increased risk of unfavorable outcomes from COVID-19 due the high prevalence of co-morbidities, immunosuppression and ageing, a detailed analysis of their effects in large studies is lacking. METHODS: Data from adult LT recipients with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV2 infection were collected across Europe. All consecutive patients with symptoms were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Between March 1 and June 27, 2020, data from 243 adult symptomatic cases from 36 centers and 9 countries were collected. Thirty-nine (16%) were managed as outpatients while 204 (84%) required hospitalization including admission to the ICU (39 of 204, 19.1%). Forty-nine (20.2%) patients died after a median of 13.5 (10-23) days, respiratory failure was the major cause. After multivariable Cox regression analysis, age >70 (HR, 4.16; 95% CI, 1.78-9.73) had a negative effect and tacrolimus (TAC) use (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.99) had a positive independent effect on survival. The role of co-morbidities was strongly influenced by the dominant effect of age where comorbidities increased with the increasing age of the recipients. In a second model excluding age, both diabetes (HR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.06-3.58) and chronic kidney disease (HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.05-3.67) emerged as associated with death CONCLUSIONS: Twenty-five percent of patients requiring hospitalization for COVID-19 died, the risk being higher in patients older than 70 and with medical co-morbidities, such as impaired renal function and diabetes. Conversely, the use of TAC was associated with a better survival thus encouraging clinicians to keep TAC at the usual dose.

COVID-19 in liver transplant candidates: pretransplant and post-transplant outcomes - an ELITA/ELTR multicentre cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Explore the impact of COVID-19 on patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation (LT) and on their post-LT course. DESIGN: Data from consecutive adult LT candidates with COVID-19 were collected across Europe in a dedicated registry and were analysed. RESULTS: From 21 February to 20 November 2020, 136 adult cases with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from 33 centres in 11 European countries were collected, with 113 having COVID-19. Thirty-seven (37/113, 32.7%) patients died after a median of 18 (10-30) days, with respiratory failure being the major cause (33/37, 89.2%). The 60-day mortality risk did not significantly change between first (35.3%, 95% CI 23.9% to 50.0%) and second (26.0%, 95% CI 16.2% to 40.2%) waves. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed Laboratory Model for End-stage Liver Disease (Lab-MELD) score of ≥15 (Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score 15-19, HR 5.46, 95% CI 1.81 to 16.50; MELD score≥20, HR 5.24, 95% CI 1.77 to 15.55) and dyspnoea on presentation (HR 3.89, 95% CI 2.02 to 7.51) being the two negative independent factors for mortality. Twenty-six patients underwent an LT after a median time of 78.5 (IQR 44-102) days, and 25 (96%) were alive after a median follow-up of 118 days (IQR 31-170). CONCLUSIONS: Increased mortality in LT candidates with COVID-19 (32.7%), reaching 45% in those with decompensated cirrhosis (DC) and Lab-MELD score of ≥15, was observed, with no significant difference between first and second waves of the pandemic. Respiratory failure was the major cause of death. The dismal prognosis of patients with DC supports the adoption of strict preventative measures and the urgent testing of vaccination efficacy in this population. Prior SARS-CoV-2 symptomatic infection did not affect early post-transplant survival (96%).

COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients: A national cohort study from Sweden.

Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients run a high risk for adverse outcomes from COVID-19, with reported mortality around 19%. We retrospectively reviewed all known Swedish SOT recipients with RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 between March 1 and November 20, 2020 and analyzed patient characteristics, management, and outcome. We identified 230 patients with a median age of 54.0 years (13.2), who were predominantly male (64%). Most patients were hospitalized (64%), but 36% remained outpatients. Age >50 and male sex were among predictors of transition from outpatient to inpatient status. National early warning Score 2 (NEWS2) at presentation was higher in non-survivors. Thirty-day all-cause mortality was 9.6% (15.0% for inpatients), increased with age and BMI, and was higher in men. Renal function decreased during COVID-19 but recovered in most patients. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were identified in 78% of patients at 1-2 months post-infection. Nucleocapsid-specific antibodies decreased to 38% after 6-7 months, while spike-specific antibody responses were more durable. Seroprevalence in 559 asymptomatic patients was 1.4%. Many patients can be managed on an outpatient basis aided by risk stratification with age, sex, and NEWS2 score. Factors associated with adverse outcomes include older age, male sex, greater BMI, and a higher NEWS2 score.

Recurrence of primary sclerosing cholangitis after liver transplantation - analysing the European Liver Transplant Registry and beyond.

Liver transplantation for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) can be complicated by recurrence of PSC (rPSC). This may compromise graft survival but the effect on patient survival is less clear. We investigated the effect of post-transplant rPSC on graft and patient survival in a large European cohort. Registry data from the European Liver Transplant Registry regarding all first transplants for PSC between 1980 and 2015 were supplemented with detailed data on rPSC from 48 out of 138 contributing transplant centres, involving 1,549 patients. Bayesian proportional hazards models were used to investigate the impact of rPSC and other covariates on patient and graft survival. Recurrence of PSC was diagnosed in 259 patients (16.7%) after a median follow-up of 5.0 years (quantile 2.5%-97.5%: 0.4-18.5), with a significant negative impact on both graft (HR 6.7; 95% CI 4.9-9.1) and patient survival (HR 2.3; 95% CI 1.5-3.3). Patients with rPSC underwent significantly more re-transplants than those without rPSC (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.7-4.8). PSC recurrence has a negative impact on both graft and patient survival, independent of transplant-related covariates. Recurrence of PSC leads to higher number of re-transplantations and a 33% decrease in 10-year graft survival.

Access of non-residents to transplantation of deceased donor organs: practices and strategies in the European setting.

The access of non-resident patients to the deceased donor waiting list (DDWL) poses different challenges. The European Committee on Organ Transplantation of the Council of Europe (CD-P-TO) has studied this phenomenon in the European setting. A questionnaire was circulated among the Council of Europe member states to inquire about the criteria applied for non-residents to access their DDWL. Information was compiled from 28 countries. Less than 1% of recipients of deceased donor organs were non-residents. Two countries never allow non-residents to access the DDWL, four allow access without restrictions and 22 only under specific conditions. Of those, most give access to non-resident patients already in their jurisdictions who are in a situation of vulnerability (urgent life-threatening conditions). In addition, patients may be given access: (i) after assessment by a specific committee (four countries); (ii) within the framework of official cooperation agreements (15 countries); and (iii) after patients have officially lived in the country for a minimum length of time (eight countries). The ethical and legal implications of these policies are discussed. Countries should collect accurate information about residency status of waitlisted patients. Transparent criteria for the access of non-residents to DDWL should be clearly defined at national level.

Is primary hepatic angiosarcoma in children an indication for liver transplantation?-A single-centre experience and review of the literature.

PHA in the paediatric population is an extremely rare and aggressive malignant soft tissue neoplasm, with less than 50 cases published worldwide. The prognosis is dismal. If the tumour is unresectable, one treatment option is LT. In this article, the current available literature is reviewed and additionally, three cases of paediatric patients with PHA who underwent LT at Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden, are presented. Based on the literature and our own experience, there is undoubtedly possible good outcome of LT due to PHA. On the contrary, no patients have survived PHA without LT. PHA in paediatric patients should be recommended to LT in selected patients. Effect of modern adjuvant chemo and RT should be evaluated further based on international registry for such rare cases of PHA.

Symptomatic Val122del mutated hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis: Need for early diagnosis and prioritization for heart and liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary transthyretin (ATTRv) amyloidosis is an autosomal dominant disease linked to transthyretin gene mutations which cause instability of the transthyretin tetramer. After dissociation and misfolding they reassemble as insoluble fibrils (i.e. amyloid). Apart from the common Val30Met mutation there is a very heterogeneous group of non-Val30Met mutations. In some cases, the clinical picture is dominated by a rapidly evolving restrictive and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: A case series of four liver recipients with the highly clinically relevant, rare and particularly aggressive Val122del mutation is presented. Medical and surgical therapeutic options, waiting list policy for ATTRv-amyloidosis, including the need for heart transplantation, and status of heart-liver transplantation are discussed. RESULTS: Three patients needed a staged (1 patient) or simultaneous (2 patients) heart-liver transplant due to rapidly progressing cardiac failure and/or neurologic disability. Domino liver transplantation was impossible in two due to fibrotic hepatic transformation caused by cardiomyopathy. After a follow-up ranging from 3.5 to 9.5 years, cardiac (allograft) function was maintained in all patients, but neuropathy progressed in three patients, one of whom died after 80 months. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report in (liver) transplant literature about the rare Val122del ATTRv mutation. Due to its aggressiveness, symptomatic patients should be prioritized on the liver and, in cases with cardiomyopathy, heart waiting lists in order to avoid the irreversible neurological and cardiac damage that leads to a rapid lethal outcome.

Impact of Hepatic Artery Variations and Reconstructions on the Outcome of Orthotopic Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Donor variational arteries often require complex reconstruction. METHODS: We analysed the incidence of different variations, types of arterial reconstructions and their impact on post-operative results from 409 patients undergoing liver transplantation at Karolinska Institute between 2007 and 2015. RESULTS: A total of 292 (71.4%) liver grafts had a standard hepatic artery (SHA), and 117 (28.6%) showed hepatic artery variants (HAV). 58% of HAV needed reconstruction. The main variations were variant left hepatic artery (45.3%) from the gastric artery; variant right hepatic artery (38.5%); and a triple combination of variant right and left hepatic artery and the proper hepatic artery from the common hepatic artery (12.8%); other 3.4%. Patients/graft survival and arterial complications were not different between SHA and HAV. Incidence of biliary stricture was numerically higher in left hepatic artery variants (p = 0.058) and in variants where no arterial reconstruction was performed (p = 0.001). Operation and arterial warm ischaemia time were longer in the HAV group. The need for intraoperative re-reconstruction was higher in the HAV group (p = 0.04). Intraoperative bleeding was larger after back-table reconstruction than with intraoperative reconstruction (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: No overall differences were found between the HAV and the SHA groups. Occurrence of a variant left hepatic artery and HAV with no reconstruction seems to increase the risk of biliary strictures.

Association of post-reperfusion syndrome and ischemia-reperfusion injury with acute kidney injury after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) even in patients with previously normal renal function. In this study, we investigated the impact of factors such graft steatosis, post-reperfusion syndrome (PRS), and hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (HIRI) on the development of AKI after OLT in adult patients. METHODS: We retrospectively examined consecutive adult patients who underwent OLT at our institution between July 2011 and June 2017. AKI was diagnosed based on the criteria proposed by the International Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) workgroup. Peak aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level within 72 hours after OLT was used as a surrogate marker for HIRI. Graft steatosis was diagnosed by histopathological examination using specimens biopsied intraoperatively at the end of transplantation procedure and categorized as <10%, 10%-20%, 20%-30%, and ≥30% of hepatic steatosis. RESULTS: Out of 386 patients, 141 (37%) developed AKI (KDIGO stage 1:71 patients; stage 2:29 patients; stage 3:41 patients). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that cold ischemic time (P = .012) and HIRI (P = .007) were independent risk factors for post-OLT AKI. Multivariable analysis also revealed that graft steatosis was associated with HIRI but not directly with AKI. PRS was not associated with HIRI or AKI in the multivariable analyses. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that greater severity of liver graft injury during transplantation negatively affects renal function after OLT. As expected, the severity of liver graft steatosis contributes to accelerated liver injury occurring during the transplantation procedure.

Alcohol and drug use prior to liver transplantation: more common than expected in patients with non-alcoholic liver disease.

Objective: Liver transplantation (LT) is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with known alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) are usually assessed by an addiction specialist, but patients with other liver diseases may also exhibit harmful drinking. This study aims to assess the drinking habits in LT-recipients with or without a diagnosis of ALC. Patients and methods: Between April 2012 and December 2015, 190 LT-recipients were interviewed using the Lifetime Drinking History (LDH) and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Patients were categorized according to their diagnoses: ALC (group A, n = 39), HCC or hepatitis C (group B, n = 56) or other liver diseases (group C, n = 95). Data were analysed using descriptive statistic methods. Results: Fifteen of 95 patients (15.8%) in group C - a cohort without suspected addiction problems - had either alcohol consumption or binge drinking within the upper quartile of the overall cohort. The aetiology of liver disease in this subgroup included mainly cholestatic and cryptogenic liver disease. Illicit drugs had been used by 35% of all patients. Cannabis and amphetamine were the most common drugs and had the longest duration of regular use. Conclusions: LT candidates without known alcohol or drug use may have a clinically significant consumption of alcohol and previous illicit drug use. Efforts should be put on identification of these patients during LT evaluation. The use of structured questionnaires such as the ASI and the LDH could facilitate detection of alcohol and drug problems.

Characteristics and risk factors for recurrence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis following liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is a common and increasing indication for liver transplantation (LT), is known to recur after LT. Since the recurrence of NASH can lead to graft failure, the identification of predictive factors is needed and preventive strategies should be implemented. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 95 patients who had undergone LT for NASH or alcoholic liver disease (ALD) as a primary indication. We evaluated peritransplant characteristics and histological findings 1-year post LT among liver transplant patients due to NASH or ALD. RESULTS: Pre-LT body mass index (BMI) was higher and pre-LT diabetes was more prevalent in NASH patients than in ALD patients (p < .01). The difference of BMI persisted at 3 months and 1 year after LT. There were no differences between the groups regarding histopathological findings including the degree of steatosis and fibrosis in 1-year biopsy. In multivariate analysis, recipient age and 1-year BMI were independent risk factors for post-LT fatty liver disease development. Regarding predictive factors of NASH recurrence, the prevalence of pre-LT insulin-dependent diabetes was significantly higher in patients who developed NASH recurrence than those who did not. The increase of HbA1c at 1-year post-LT checkup was higher in patients who developed recurrence than those who did not, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that insulin-dependent diabetes has detrimental effects on NASH recurrence following LT. Optimal glycemic control should be recommended, but studies are needed to prove its preventive effect on NASH recurrence.

Defining Benchmarks in Liver Transplantation: A Multicenter Outcome Analysis Determining Best Achievable Results.

: This multicentric study of 17 high-volume centers presents 12 benchmark values for liver transplantation. Those values, mostly targeting markers of morbidity, were gathered from 2024 "low risk" cases, and may serve as reference to assess outcome of single or any groups of patients. OBJECTIVE: To propose benchmark outcome values in liver transplantation, serving as reference for assessing individual patients or any other patient groups. BACKGROUND: Best achievable results in liver transplantation, that is, benchmarks, are unknown. Consequently, outcome comparisons within or across centers over time remain speculative. METHODS: Out of 7492 liver transplantation performed in 17 international centers from 3 continents, we identified 2024 low risk adult cases with a laboratory model for end-stage liver disease score ≤20 points, a balance of risk score ≤9, and receiving a primary graft by donation after brain death. We chose clinically relevant endpoints covering intra- and postoperative course, with a focus on complications graded by severity including the complication comprehensive index (CCI). Respective benchmarks were derived from the median value in each center, and the 75 percentile was considered the benchmark cutoff. RESULTS: Benchmark cases represented 8% to 49% of cases per center. One-year patient-survival was 91.6% with 3.5% retransplantations. Eighty-two percent of patients developed at least 1 complication during 1-year follow-up. Biliary complications occurred in one-fifth of the patients up to 6 months after surgery. Benchmark cutoffs were ≤4 days for ICU stay, ≤18 days for hospital stay, ≤59% for patients with severe complications (≥ Grade III) and ≤42.1 for 1-year CCI. Comparisons with the next higher risk group (model for end stage liver disease 21-30) disclosed an increase in morbidity but within benchmark cutoffs for most, but not all indicators, while in patients receiving a second graft from 1 center (n = 50) outcome values were all outside of benchmark values. CONCLUSIONS: Despite excellent 1-year survival, morbidity in benchmark cases remains high with half of patients developing severe complications during 1-year follow-up. Benchmark cutoffs targeting morbidity parameters offer a valid tool to assess higher risk groups.

Cancer After Liver Transplantation in Children and Young Adults: A Population-Based Study From 4 Nordic Countries.

Cancer after liver transplantation (LT) constitutes a threat also for young recipients, but cancer risk factors are usually absent in children and large studies on the cancer risk profile in young LT recipients are scarce. Data of patients younger than 30 years who underwent LT during the period 1982-2013 in the Nordic countries were linked with respective national cancer registries to calculate standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). A total of 37 cancer cases were observed in 923 patients with 7846 person-years of follow-up. The SIR for all cancer types, compared with the matched general population, was 9.8 (12.4 for males and 7.8 for females). Cumulative incidence of cancer adjusted for the competing risk of death was 2% at 10 years, 6% at 20 years, and 22% at 25 years after LT. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was the most common cancer type (n = 14) followed by colorectal (n = 4) and hepatocellular cancer (n = 4). Age was a significant risk factor for cancer, and the absolute risk of most cancers (except for lymphoma) increased considerably in young adults older than 20 years. The cancer risk pattern is different in pediatric and young LT patients compared with adult recipients. The striking increase in cancer incidence in young adulthood after the second decade of life deserves further consideration in transition programs.

Survival of children after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in childhood differs from adult HCC because it is often associated with inherited liver disease. It is, however, unclear whether liver transplantation (LT) for HCC in childhood with or without associated inherited disease has a comparable outcome to adult HCC. On the basis of data from the European Liver Transplant Registry (ELTR), we aimed to investigate if there are differences in patient and graft survival after LT for HCC between children and adults and between patients with underlying inherited versus noninherited liver disease, respectively. We included all 175 children who underwent LT for HCC and were enrolled in ELTR between 1985 and 2012. Of these, 38 had an associated inherited liver disease. Adult HCC patients with (n = 79) and without (n = 316, matched by age, sex, and LT date) inherited liver disease served as an adult comparison population. We used multivariable piecewise Cox regression models with shared frailty terms (for LT center) to compare patient and graft survival between the different HCC groups. Survival analyses demonstrated a superior longterm survival of children with inherited liver disease when compared with children with HCC without inherited liver disease (hazard ratio [HR], 0.29; 95% CI, 0.10-0.90; P = 0.03) and adults with HCC with inherited liver disease (HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.06-1.25; P = 0.09). There was no survival difference between adults with and without inherited disease (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.66-1.66; P = 0.84). In conclusion, the potential survival advantage of children with an HCC based on inherited disease should be acknowledged when considering transplantation and prioritization for these patients. Further prospective studies accounting for tumor size and extension at LT are necessary to fully interpret our findings. Liver Transplantation 24 246-255 2018 AASLD.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is an increasing indication for liver transplantation in the Nordic countries.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) is the second most common cause of liver transplantation in the US. Data on NAFLD as a liver transplantation indication from countries with lower prevalences of obesity are lacking. We studied the temporal trends of NAFLD as an indication for liver transplantation in the Nordic countries, and compared outcomes for patients with NAFLD to patients with other indications for liver transplantation. METHOD: Population-based cohort study using data from the Nordic Liver Transplant Registry on adults listed for liver transplantation between 1994 and 2015. NAFLD as the underlying indication for liver transplantation was defined as a listing diagnosis of NAFLD/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or cryptogenic cirrhosis with a body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 and absence of other liver diseases. Waiting time for liver transplantation, mortality and withdrawal from the transplant waiting list were registered. Survival after liver transplantation was calculated using multivariable Cox regression, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index and model for end-stage liver disease. RESULTS: A total of 4609 patients listed for liver transplantation were included. NAFLD as the underlying indication for liver transplantation increased from 2.0% in 1994-1995 to 6.2% in 2011-2015 (P = .01) and was the second most rapidly increasing indication. NAFLD patients had higher age, model for end-stage liver disease and body mass index when listed for liver transplantation, but overall survival after liver transplantation was comparable to non--NAFLD patients (aHR 1.03, 95% CI 0.70-1.53 P = .87). CONCLUSION: NAFLD is an increasing indication for liver transplantation in the Nordic countries. Despite more advanced liver disease, NAFLD patients have a comparable survival to other patients listed for liver transplantation.