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.

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.

[Clinical approach to portal hypertension]. / Aspectos clínicos del síndrome de hipertensión portal.

Portal Hypertension is one of the most common and severe complication arising from hepatic cirrhosis natural history. Its development conditions the patient prognosis, and its diagnosis and correct evaluation contribute to the correct management of the patient. New techniques for the measurement of portal pressure gradient allow the study and follow-up of patients with esophageal and gastric varices and with risk of hemorrhage, analyzing the efficacy of the treatment applied in a reliable and secure way. It has been probed its utility in the study of the patient with hepatocellular carcinoma, complications after liver transplantation, portal hypertension with no hepatopathy, etc. This review analyzes, from a clinical point of view, the repercussion of the development of portal hypertension in the patient with hepatic cirrhosis, its diagnosis and interpretation, and the importance that its adequate valuation has for the clinical practice.

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.

Supervivencia del paciente trasplantado de hígado por hepatocarcinoma y riesgo de recurrencia tumoral / Survival of patients receiving a liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma, and risk of tumor recurrence

Objetivo: el objetivo de este estudio ha sido evaluar la supervivencia a corto y largo plazo del paciente trasplantado de hígado por hepatocarcinoma (CHC), el riesgo de recidiva tumoral postrasplante y los factores asociados a esta complicación. Diseño: estudio restrospectivo de una serie consecutiva de pacientes trasplantados de hígado por hepatocarcinoma. Pacientes y métodos: enfermos trasplantados por hepatocarcinoma desde el año 1989 hasta noviembre de 2003. Los pacientes fueron seleccionados con unos límites generales de tamaño y número de nódulos que fueron posteriormente publicados como criterios de Milán. En su diagnóstico pretrasplante se siguieron asimismo criterios consensuados en la Conferencia de Barcelona. Resultados: la supervivencia de este grupo de 81 pacientes trasplantados por hepatocarcinoma fue del 80, 61 y 52%, a los 1, 5 y 10 años respectivamente. En el 32% de los casos el CHC fue un hallazgo incidental en el explante. En el 12,3% se constató recidiva tumoral. El estudio multivariante identificó como factores de riesgo de recidiva el tamaño del nódulo (OR = 1,7944) (IC 95% = 1,1332-2,8413) y la invasión vascular (OR = 6,6346) (IC 95% = 1,4624-30,1003). Conclusiones: el trasplante de hígado en pacientes seleccionados con CHC obtiene buenos resultados a medio y largo plazo. El riesgo de recidiva tumoral postrasplante se ha reducido notablemente y está asociado con el tamaño del nódulo y con la invasión vascular microscópica

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 posttransplant 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

Tratamiento de la insuficiencia hepática avanzada en lista de espera / No disponible

No disponible

Inmunosupresión en el trasplante hepático / No disponible

No disponible

Hepatotoxicidad asociada a hipérico (hierba de San Juan) / Hepatotoxicity associated with Hypericum (St. John’s wort)

No disponible

Tratamiento de la resistencia al VHB / Treatment of HBV resistance

No disponible

No disponible

Aspectos clínicos del síndrome de hipertensión portal / Clinical approach to portal hypertension

La hipertensión portal es una de las complicaciones más frecuente y grave que aparece en la historia natural de la cirrosis hepática. Su desarrollo condiciona el pronóstico del paciente, y su diagnóstico y valoración correctos facilita el adecuado manejo de estos enfermos. Las nuevas técnicas de medición del gradiente de presión portal permiten el estudio y seguimiento de los pacientes con varices esofago-gástricas y con riesgo de hemorragia, evaluando la eficacia del tratamiento instaurado de forma fiable y segura. Se ha demostrado su utilidad en el estudio del paciente con hepatocarcinoma, complicaciones en el postrasplante hepático, presencia de hipertensión portal sin hepatopatía, etc. El objetivo de esta revisión es analizar, desde un punto de vista clínico, la trascendencia del desarrollo de la hipertensión portal en el paciente con cirrosis hepática, su diagnóstico e interpretación y la importancia que en la práctica diaria tiene su adecuada valoración (AU)