Dual-graft adult living donor liver transplantation with ABO-incompatible graft: short-term and long-term outcomes.

ABO-incompatible (ABOi) dual-graft (DG) adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) is not commonly performed due to its inherently intricate surgical technique and immunological complexity. Therefore, data are lacking on the short- and long-term clinical outcomes of ABOi DG ALDLT. We performed a retrospective study by reviewing the medical records of patients who underwent ABOi DG ALDLT between 2008 and 2014. Additionally, computed tomography volumetric analysis was conducted to assess the graft regeneration rate. The mean age of a total of 28 recipients was 50.2 ± 8.5 years, and the mean model for end-stage liver disease score was 12.2 ± 4.6. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival rate was 96.4% during the mean follow-up period of 57.0 ± 22.4 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rate was 96.4%, 94.2%, and 92.0%, respectively, and no significant differences were observed between ABO-compatible (ABOc) and ABOi grafts (P = .145). The biliary complication rate showed no significant difference (P = .195) between ABOc and ABOi grafts. Regeneration rates of ABOi grafts were not significantly different from those of ABOc grafts. DG ALDLT with ABOi and ABOc graft combination seems to be a feasible option for expanding the donor pool without additional donor risks.

Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Patients Older Than Age 70 Years: A Single-Center Experience.

Over the past two decades, the age of liver transplantation (LT) recipients has been increasing. We reviewed our experience with LT for patients aged ≥70 years (range: 70-78 years) and investigated the feasibility of performing LT, especially living donor LT (LDLT), for older patients. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 25 patients (15 LDLT recipients, 10 deceased donor LT recipients) aged ≥70 years who underwent LT from January 2000 to April 2016. Their perioperative morbidity rate was 28.0%, and the in-hospital mortality rate was 16.0%; these results were comparable to those of matched patients in their 60s (n = 73; morbidity, p = 0.726; mortality, p = 0.816). For patients in their 70s, the 1- and 5-year patient survival rates were 84.0% and 69.8%, and the 1- and 5-year graft survival rates were 83.5% and 75.1%, respectively. Comparisons of patient and graft survival rates between matched patients in their 60s and 70s showed no statistically significant differences (patient survival, p = 0.372; graft survival, p = 0.183). Our experience suggests that patients aged ≥70 years should not be excluded from LT, or even LDLT, based solely on age and implies that careful selection of recipients and donors as well as meticulous surgical technique are necessary for successful results.

Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in High-Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score Patients.

The large volume of adult living donor liver transplantations (ALDLTs) at our center affords a unique opportunity to examine the impact of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) among high-Model for End-Stage Liver Disease MELD score patients. From February 1998 to March 2010, 1958 cirrhotic recipients were analyzed to study the relationship between MELD scores and ALDLT outcomes. A total of 327 high-MELD score recipients were categorized into ACLF and non-ACLF groups, and their outcomes were compared. The 5-year graft and patient survival in the high-MELD group were 75.2% and 76.4%, respectively, which were significantly worse than the low and intermediate MELD groups. The presence of ACLF associated with higher MELD scores appeared to be the dominant factor responsible for the inferior results of patients with MELD score of 30-34 points. The 5-year graft survivals in the ACLF group was 70.5% and in the non-ACLF group it was 81.0% (p = 0.035). Therefore, ALDLT should be performed as soon as possible in high-MELD score patients prior to ACLF development. Moreover, ACLF patients should be separately categorized when analyzing the outcomes of ALDLT. ALDLT for ACLF patients should not be discouraged because favorable outcomes can be expected through timely ALDLT and comprehensive management.

ABO-Incompatible Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Under the Desensitization Protocol With Rituximab.

ABO incompatibility is no longer considered a contraindication for adult living donor liver transplantation (ALDLT) due to various strategies to overcome the ABO blood group barrier. We report the largest single-center experience of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) ALDLT in 235 adult patients. The desensitization protocol included a single dose of rituximab and total plasma exchange. In addition, local graft infusion therapy, cyclophosphamide, or splenectomy was used for a certain time period, but these treatments were eventually discontinued due to adverse events. There were three cases (1.3%) of in-hospital mortality. The cumulative 3-year graft and patient survival rates were 89.2% and 92.3%, respectively, and were comparable to those of the ABO-compatible group (n = 1301). Despite promising survival outcomes, 17 patients (7.2%) experienced antibody-mediated rejection that manifested as diffuse intrahepatic biliary stricture; six cases required retransplantation, and three patients died. ABOi ALDLT is a feasible method for expanding a living liver donor pool, but the efficacy of the desensitization protocol in targeting B cell immunity should be optimized.

Self-expandable metal stents for malignant esophageal obstruction: a comparative study between extrinsic and intrinsic compression.

Self-expandable metal stents (SEMSs) are effective for malignant esophageal obstruction, but usefulness of SEMSs in extrinsic lesions is yet to be elucidated. This study is aimed at evaluating the clinical usefulness of SEMSs in the extrinsic compression compared with intrinsic. A retrospective review was conducted for 105 patients (intrinsic, 85; extrinsic, 20) with malignant esophageal obstruction who underwent endoscopic SEMSs placement. Technical and clinical success rates were evaluated and clinical outcomes were compared between extrinsic and intrinsic group. Extrinsic group was mostly pulmonary origin. Overall technical and clinical success rate was 100% and 91%, respectively, without immediate complications. Extrinsic and intrinsic group did not differ significantly in clinical success rate. The median stent patency time was 131.3 ± 85.8 days in intrinsic group while that of extrinsic was 54.6 ± 45.1 due to shorter survival after stent insertion. The 4-, 8-, and 12-week patency rates were 90.5%, 78.8%, and 64.9% respectively in intrinsic group, while stents of extrinsic group remained patent until death. Uncovered, fully covered, and double-layered stent were used evenly and the types did not influence patency in both groups. In conclusion, esophageal SEMSs can safely and effectively be used for malignant extrinsic compression as well as intrinsic.

Relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and pulmonary function.

BACKGROUND: It has been observed that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. Pulmonary function is also known to be related with cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. AIMS: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between NAFLD and pulmonary function. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study to examine the association of NAFLD based on abdominal sonographic findings and pulmonary function in 2119 Korean men between the ages of 30 and 75. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) were compared according to the presence of NAFLD. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the relationship of NAFLD with FVC and FEV(1) as pulmonary function tests. RESULTS: The subjects with NAFLD had lower FVC and FEV(1) than their non-steatotic counterparts, and FVC and FEV(1) gradually decreased according to the grade of hepatic steatosis. After adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the FVC and FEV(1) were found to be inversely associated with the presence of NAFLD. CONCLUSION: NAFLD was independently associated with reduced pulmonary function, and the severity of NAFLD was inversely correlated with pulmonary function.

Comparison of open and laparoscopic live donor left lateral sectionectomy.

BACKGROUND: The present study was undertaken to determine whether laparoscopic live donor left lateral sectionectomy (LLS) in paediatric liver transplantation is a feasible, safe and reproducible procedure, compared with open live donor left lateral sectionectomy (OLS). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all consecutive live donor procedures for paediatric liver transplantation performed between May 2008 and October 2009. All live donor hepatectomies were carried out by a single surgeon. RESULTS: A total of 26 live donor procedures for paediatric liver transplantation were performed, of which 11 were LLS and 11 OLS; four left hepatectomies were excluded. The LLS group had a significantly shorter hospital stay (mean(s.d.) 6·9(0·3) versus 9·8(0·9) days; P = 0·001) and time to oral diet (2·1(0·3) versus 2·7(0·4) days; P = 0·012). Duration of operation, blood loss, warm ischaemia time and out-of-pocket medical costs were comparable between groups. There was no death in either donor group and only one complication, a wound seroma, in the OLS group. CONCLUSION: LLS seemed to be a safe, feasible and reproducible procedure, and was associated with reduced hospital stay.

Influence of pretransplantation bacterial and fungal culture positivity on outcome after living donor liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial and fungal infections are serious complications in patients with cirrhosis and are among the main causes of morbidity and mortality. The effects of pretransplantation infection on the outcome after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), however, have not been fully described. OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of pretransplantation infection on OLT by analyzing the clinical profiles of liver recipients with preexisting bacterial or fungal infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 223 adult patients who underwent living donor OLT between October 1, 2005, and September 30, 2006. In all patients, routine blood culture, was performed, and in patients with suspected bacterial or fungal infection; sputum, urine, and ascitic fluid cultures were performed. RESULTS: Of 223 patients, 37 (16.6%) had a positive culture in one or more samples. Culture-positive and culture-negative groups differed significantly in end-stage liver disease score but showed no differences in Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, existence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hemodialysis, or duration of stay in the intensive care unit or hospital. Six of 37 patients with positive cultures (16.2%) and 4 (2.2%) of 186 patients with negative cultures (2.2%) died during the first 90 days after OLT (P = .007). The causes of death among culture-positive patients were brain edema (n = 2), brain hemorrhage (n = 1), hepatic dysfunction (n = 1), and sepsis (n = 2), whereas all 4 culture-negative patients died of infectious complications. CONCLUSION: Prompt OLT accompanied by adequate antibiotic or antifungal therapy may be acceptable in patients with preexisting bacterial or fungal infection unless there are overt manifestations of active infection.

Total serum bilirubin and 8-year incident type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.

AIM: In this study, the impact of serum bilirubin on new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Korean adults was investigated. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES), a population-based prospective cohort study. The study enrolled 8650 adults (4015 men and 4635 women), aged 40 to 69 years, who underwent a mean follow-up of 8.4 years. The study population was divided into quartiles (Q) of serum bilirubin levels, with cut-off points at 0.46, 0.61 and 0.82mg/dL for men, and 0.35, 0.47 and 0.61mg/dL for women. T2DM was defined based on the following data: fasting blood glucose≥7.0mmol/L, HbA1c level≥6.5% or 2-h plasma glucose≥11.1mmol/L during a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Over the mean 8.4-year follow-up, 786 participants (9.1%) developed T2DM. Compared with Q1, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for T2DM incidence were 0.52 (0.36-0.74) in men and 0.56 (0.38-0.83) in women aged ≥50 years, respectively, in the highest Q group after adjusting for possible confounding factors. These significant results persisted in those with impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose. CONCLUSION: The results of this study reveal a protective role for serum total bilirubin on new-onset T2DM in Korean men and women. In addition, serum total bilirubin had favourable effects on new-onset T2DM in those with impaired glucose tolerance and impaired fasting glucose.

Small-sized liver graft does not increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after living donor liver transplantation.

PURPOSE: Following implantation into adult recipients, living donor liver grafts usually undergo liver regeneration. This regeneration process may provoke the growth of occult hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in the recipient body. To assess the risk of HCC recurrence, we analyzed the influence of graft-recipient weight ratio (GRWR). METHODS: The 181 recipients with HCC within the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) criteria were divided into four groups according to GRWR: low GRWR (<0.8; n = 30), mid GRWR (0.8-1.0; n = 65), high GRWR (>1.0; n = 64), and whole liver graft group (>1.5; n = 22). RESULTS: There were no differences in overall patient survival (P = .105) and recurrence-free survival (P = .406) among these four groups. GRWR <0.8 was not a significant risk factor for HCC recurrence. Similar outcomes were obtained in HCC patients who met the Milan criteria (n = 170). CONCLUSIONS: We think that small living donor liver graft and subsequent liver regeneration do not increase the risk of posttransplant HCC recurrence when HCC is within the Milan or UCSF criteria.

Suitable whole blood levels 2 hours after neoral in liver transplant patients: experiences at a single center.

UNLABELLED: Whole blood levels 2 hours after Neoral (C2) administration were observed to correlate better with area under the curve (AUC(0-4)) than trough levels (C0), suggesting that C2 may be the best single time point predictor of Neoral absorption. Owing to concerns about drug toxicity due to excessive immunosuppression, C2 adjustments to target blood levels may represent an advance. The present study measured C2 and levels to determine which correlated more closely with AUC(0-4). METHODS: Between August 2003 and July 2004, 40 adult liver transplantations were performed in our center. All patients received Neoral twice daily. They were maintained at a C0 level of about 200 ng/mL. C0 levels were measured daily. C2 levels were estimated on postoperative days 3, 5, 7, 14, and 28. AUC(0-4) performed on postoperative days 3, 7, and 28 was calculated using the trapezoidal rule. RESULTS: The mean AUC(0-4), C0, C1, C2, C3, and C4 were 1100.3 +/- 484.8 ng/mL, 197.1 +/- 84.7 ng/mL, 240.7 +/- 166.2 ng/mL, 307.8 +/- 162.6 ng/mL, 302.8 +/- 138.9 ng/mL, and 300.3 +/- 142.8 ng/mL, respectively. C2 correlated with AUC(0-4) (R2 = 0.868: P < .05) better than C0 (R2 = 0.245: P < .05), C1 (R2 = 0.604: P < .05), or C4 (R2 = 0.583: P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Neoral dose monitoring according to a mean C2 range of 307.8 +/- 162.6 ng/mL correlated better with AUC(0-4). Further studies are required to determine suitable C2 levels in liver transplant patients.

Genetic Traits in the Liver Anatomy Between Parents and Children: An Analysis of Liver Transplant Recipients and Living Donors.

BACKGROUND: To date, no significant similarities in the anatomy of the hepatic vasculature have been observed between blood-related individuals. However, we have frequently encountered anatomic similarities between parents and their children; thus, we performed an analysis of the genetic traits in the anatomy of the liver. METHODS: The study cohort was 330 adult cases of living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT), in which the donor-recipient relationship was child to parent. The subjects underwent LDLT from January 2013 to December 2014. Preoperative dynamic computerized tomographic scans were used to classify the anatomy of the hepatic vasculature. RESULTS: Portal vein (PV) anatomy was classified as typical and 2 variant types. PV anatomy combinations in donor and recipient were typical in 232 subjects, variant in 16, and typical-variant in 82. The PV concordance rate was 75.2%, and the contingency coefficient was 0.130 (P = .017). Hepatic artery (HA) anatomy was classified as typical and 4 variant types. HA anatomy combinations in donor and recipient were typical in 167 subjects, variant in 33, and typical-variant in 130. The HA concordance rate was 60.6%, and the contingency coefficient was 0.058 (P = .294). The sizable inferior right hepatic vein in donor and recipient was present in 44 subjects, absent in 160, and discordant in 126; its concordance rate was 61.8% and contingency coefficient 0.133 (P = .014). CONCLUSIONS: There may be a shared but weak genetic trait between parents and children regarding the anatomy of the PV and inferior hepatic vein. This information may be helpful when LDLT is performed between 1st-degree relatives.

Acute Graft-vs-Host Disease After Liver Transplantation: Experience at a High-volume Liver Transplantation Center in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Acute graft-vs-host disease (GVHD) is a rare but life-threatening complication of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We present 6 cases of GVHD after OLT. METHODS: Among our 4294 OLT recipients, we identified 6 patients (0.14%) who were diagnosed with GVHD. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Liver graft types included deceased donor whole liver graft (n = 3) and right liver graft from son (n = 3). Mean recipient and donor ages were 57.2 ± 6.6 years and 32.7 ± 10.8 years, respectively. Onset of GVHD symptoms occurred 14 to 32 days after OLT, and initial symptoms were skin rash (n = 5) and fever (n = 1). GVHD was pathologically confirmed by skin or rectal biopsy. Chimerism of donor lymphocytes was identified in all 3 patients who underwent the short tandem repeat polymerase chain reaction assay. Attempts were made to treat the GVHD in all 6 patients by corticosteroids with or without low-dose calcineurin inhibitor, but we had to stop early or reduce these agents due to aggravation of pancytopenia and septic complications. Ultimately, 5 patients died 6 to 106 days after the onset of GVHD, and only 1 patient recovered. This surviving patient was diagnosed earlier and had been administered the recommended dosage of corticosteroid for a longer period with aggressive infection prophylaxis compared to the other cases. CONCLUSIONS: Because of very poor outcomes of GVHD after OLT, early diagnosis and vigorous treatment should be emphasized, although no effective treatment modality has been established yet. We strongly suggest performing aggressive infection prophylaxis during GVHD treatment.

Survival Benefit of Early Cancer Detection Through Regular Endoscopic Screening for De Novo Gastric and Colorectal Cancers in Korean Liver Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: De novo malignancy is not uncommon after liver transplantation (LT). Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies in both the Korean general population and LT recipients, and colorectal cancer prevalence is gradually increasing. METHODS: Among 3690 adult recipients who underwent LT from January 1999 and December 2013, the screening patterns and prognosis of 26 cases of gastric cancer and 22 cases of colorectal cancer were analyzed. RESULTS: For gastric cancer, the mean patient age was 54.6 ± 6.2 years at LT and 59.5 ± 6.7 years at cancer diagnosis, with a post-transplant interval of 60.2 ± 29.8 months. Patients were divided into regular (n = 18) and non-regular (n = 8) screening groups, with early cancer found in 14 and 0 patients; their 2-year survival rates after cancer diagnosis were 93.1% and 33.3% (P = .006), respectively. Endoscopic resection was successfully performed in 8 patients, all in the regular screening group. For colorectal cancer, the mean patient age was 53.3 ± 6.1 years at LT and 58.1 ± 6.7 years at cancer diagnosis, with a post-transplant interval of 54.3 ± 38.0 months. Patients were divided into regular (n = 19) and non-regular (n = 3) screening groups, with early cancer found in 12 and 0 patients; their 2-year survival rates after cancer diagnosis of 92.3% and 33.3% (P = .003), respectively. Endoscopic resection was successfully performed in 6 patients, all in the regular screening group. CONCLUSIONS: LT recipients are strongly advised to undergo regular screening studies for various de novo malignancies, especially cancers common in the general population. Regular endoscopic screening contributes to the timely detection of gastric and colorectal cancers, improving post-treatment survival outcomes.

Safety and usefulness of warm dissection technique during liver graft retrieval from deceased donors.

BACKGROUND: For deceased-donor liver graft retrieval, the warm dissection technique of hilar dissection before perfusion had been the standard procedure in the early period of liver transplantation. Thereafter, the cold dissection technique of in situ flushing and hilar dissection after perfusion has been preferred in many transplantation centers for rapid procurement of multiple organs. This study intended to assess the safety and usefulness of the warm dissection technique used in deceased-donor liver transplantation. METHODS: This study analyzed a single surgeon's experience of the warm dissection technique for 165 cases of liver graft retrieval, regarding the prolongation of retrieval operation time, retrieval-associated graft injury, and recipient outcomes. RESULTS: An additional 20 to 40 minutes was required for warm dissection. The incidence of retrieval-associated graft injury was 13 (7.9%), in which hepatic parenchymal injury was detected in 7 (capsular tear in 6 and subcapsular hematoma in 1) and vascular injury in 6 (celiac axis injury in 5 and common hepatic artery injury in 1). There was no other episode of injury at the branch artery, vena cava, portal vein, and bile duct. There was no significant difference of 1-year graft survival rates between liver grafts with and without graft injury (83% vs 83.3%, P = .73). CONCLUSIONS: When the vital signs of deceased donor are stable, the warm dissection technique may be helpful to decrease the cold ischemic preservation time because the risk of graft injury is acceptably low and it provides more time for recipient preparation, thus giving potential advantages for marginal liver grafts.

Liver transplantation in Korea: past, present, and future.

PURPOSE: This study reviewed the past and present status of liver transplantation (LT) and outlooks for the future of LT in Korea. METHOD: The first LT in Korea was successfully performed using a deceased donor graft in 1988. Pediatric and adult living donor liver transplantations (LDLTs) were initiated in 1994 and 1997, respectively. From 1988 to 2013, 10,581 LTs were performed at 40 centers, whereas LDLT accounted for 76.5% of all LTs. RESULTS: In the early 1990s, the deceased organ donation rate was less than 1.5 per million population (PMP) per year, but it increased to 5 PMP beginning in 2008. Despite the increasing number of deceased donor liver transplantations (DDLTs), high prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has provoked persistent performance of adult LDLT with technical advancement including middle hepatic vein (MHV) reconstruction of right lobe graft and dual graft LDLT with 1 nationwide donor mortality. CONCLUSION: The number of LTs in Korea in 2010 was 23.2 PMP (1042 LTs/45 million population), lower than 23.5 PMP of Spain, but higher than 20 PMP of the United States. However, future LT numbers may decrease because of lowering the HBV carrier rate (neonatal HBV universal vaccination began in 1992), new potent anti-HBV agents, and lowest birth rate (1.22 children per family) with a decrease of potential live donors.

Donor Safety and Recipient Liver Function After Right-Lobe Liver Transplantation From Living Donors With Gilbert Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Donor safety is the most important aspect in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Gilbert syndrome is an autosomal recessive condition that is a common cause of isolated unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia, and its prevalence is not negligibly low in the general population. This study intended to assess donor safety and recipient liver function after LDLT with the use of right liver grafts from living donors with Gilbert syndrome. METHODS: Among 2,140 right liver transplantations performed from January 2002 to December 20113 at our institution, we identified 12 living donors (0.6%) who showed a preoperative serum total bilirubin level of ≥2 mg/dL. These donors were clinically diagnosed with Gilbert syndrome. The clinical outcomes of these donors and their recipients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean donor age was 24.6 ± 7.1 years, and 11 donors were male. All subjects met the preoperative evaluation conditions for right liver donation except for the level of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. The mean serum total bilirubin level of the donors was 2.23 ± 0.20 mg/dL before and 1.79 ± 0.61 mg/dL 1 year after right liver donation. The preoperative donor direct bilirubin level was 0.43 ± 0.19 mg/dL. The preoperative indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes was 8.2 ± 2.8%. All donors and recipients recovered uneventfully and were alive at the time of writing. The recipient serum total bilirubin level was 1.29 ± 0.47 mg/dL 1 year after LDLT. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that LDLT with living donors with Gilbert syndrome can be safely performed, but that a meticulous preoperative evaluation is vital to maximize donor safety.

Updated status of deceased-donor liver graft allocation for high-urgency adult patients in a Korean high-volume liver transplantation center.

BACKGROUND: The number of deceased organ donors in Korea has been gradually increased to reach 8 per million population. This study intended to analyze the updated status of urgent deceased-donor liver transplantation in a Korean high-volume liver transplantation center. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed with a 4-year study period from 2010 to 2013. RESULTS: During the study period, 328 adult patients were enrolled at the Asan Medical Center for urgent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with Korean Network for Organ Sharing status 1 in 56 (17.1%) and status 2A in 272 (82.9%). Of them, 201 (61.3%) were allocated for OLT and 195 (58.2%) actually underwent OLT after exclusion of 6 cases of spontaneous withdrawal. In KONOS status 1, liver grafts were initially allocated to 33 (58.9%), but 6 were withdrawn owing to clinical improvement, so 27 (48.2%) actually underwent OLT. In status 2A, 168 (61.8%) underwent OLT within 2 weeks of priority waiting period. According to ABO blood groups in recipients, the allocation probability was 68% (68 of 100) in group A, 60.6% (60 of 99) in group B, 64.1% (25 of 39) in group AB, and 53.3% (48 of 90) in group O. Mean waiting period for OLT was 5.7 ± 2.1 days. CONCLUSIONS: Deceased donor incidence of ∼8 per million population contributed to meeting ∼60% of the demand for urgent deceased-donor liver transplantation in a Korean transplantation center, so further increasing deceased organ donor numbers is necessary to improve the current status of organ shortage.

Molecular cloning and characterization of mouse cardiac triadin isoforms.

Triadin is a ryanodine receptor and calsequestrin binding protein located in junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum of striated muscles. In the present study, mouse cardiac triadin cDNAs have been identified by cDNA library screening and RT-PCR. The deduced aa sequences show that the three isoforms consist of 277, 293 and 305 aa giving rise to the molecular weights of approximately 31,414, 33,066, and 34,328, respectively. The isoforms have identical 262 aa N-terminal sequences, whereas they have distinct C-terminal sequences. Northern blot analysis using a cDNA probe representing the N-terminal common region of triadin revealed that the mouse triadins were present both in heart and skeletal muscles. The estimated sizes of the transcripts were approximately 1.3, 4.3 and 5 kb in heart and 5, 5.5 and 7 kb in skeletal muscle. Endo H treatment and Western blot analysis of isolated mouse cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum and in vitro translation products indicate that there are three distinct mouse cardiac triadin isoforms having molecular weights of 35, 35.5 and 40 kDa. We termed those three isoforms as mouse cardiac triadin 1, mouse cardiac triadin 2 and mouse cardiac triadin 3.