Quality of life associated with immunosuppressant treatment adherence in liver transplant recipients: A cross-sectional study.

Purpose: Transplanted organ survival after solid organ transplantation highly correlates with the adherence levels of the patients to their immunosuppressive drugs. On the other hand, one of the main goals of liver transplantation is to increase the overall quality of life (QOL) for the patient. This study is aimed to analyze the relationship between adherence and QOL in adult liver transplant recipients of the biggest liver transplant center in Asia. Methods: All of the included patients were older than 18 years and at least 6 months had passed from their liver transplantation. The adherence level was measured with BAASIS method and the QOL was assessed by SF-36 questionnaire in real-time interviews. The relationship between adherence and different aspects of QOL in addition to qualitative and quantitative influential factors on these two outcomes was calculated with statistical analysis. Results: Among the 122 included patients, 41% of the were categorized in the non-adherent group. The most important reasons for non-adherence in these patients included forgetfulness (62%), lack of medication (12%), financial problems for drug supply (9%), and side effects (2%). According to the results of the multivariate linear regression model, rejection was the only influential factor in the occurrence of non-adherence among patients (OR = 8.226 CI (1.404-48.196)). The overall mean QOL score of patients was reported 51.09 ± 21.86. The lowest is given to social functioning, while mental health has achieved the highest score. The mean QOL scores in different dimensions in patients with adherence were higher than non-adherents, which was only significant in mental health (p-value = 0.01). Additionally, in total scores related to Physical Composite Score (PSC) and Mental Composite Score (MCS), the mean MSC scores in adherent patients were significantly higher than non-adherent patients (p-value: 0.02). Although adherent patients have an overall greater QOL, the only meaningful effect on QOL total score was from income level. Conclusion: The overall QoL score has been in all parameters higher in the adherent group compared with non-adherent patients. The difference in QoL was most meaningfully significant in mental composite score among other parameters of QoL.

Liver transplantation in glycogen storage disease: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) are inherited glycogen metabolic disorders which have various subtypes. GSDs of type I, III, IV, VI, and IX show liver involvement and are considered as hepatic types of GSDs. Thus, liver transplantation (LT) has been proposed as a final therapy for these types of GSD. LT corrects the primary hepatic enzyme defect; however, the long-term outcomes of LT in these patients have not been extensively evaluated so far. There are few reports in the English literature about the outcome of GSD patients after LT. There has been no report from Iran. The present retrospective study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of eight patients with GSD types I, III, and IV who underwent LT in the affiliated hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, from March 2013 to June 2021. During this period, there were no patients with GSD VI and IX identified in this center. RESULTS: The median time of diagnosis of the GSDs and at transplant was 1 year and 11 years, respectively. All eight transplanted patients were alive at the time of follow-up in this study. None of them required a re-transplant. All of the patients showed normalized liver enzymes after LT with no sign of hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: LT is an achievable treatment for end-stage hepatic involvement of GSDs with a cure for metabolic deficiency. Our experience in these eight patients shows a favorable outcome with no mortality and no major complication.

Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis in Liver Transplant Candidates, a Single Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in liver transplant patients, so it is valuable to diagnose latent tuberculosis in liver transplant candidates by an accurate screening test prior to transplantation. Tuberculin skin test (TST) is the standard test for the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis. Currently interferon-gamma release assays (QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT)) have been proposed as the best screening test, especially in the geographic areas with widespread BCG vaccination. In this research, we will compare these two tests in the largest liver transplant center in the south of Iran. METHODS: Both TST and QFT were performed in 50 liver transplant patients and 50 normal healthy individuals. RESULTS: TST was positive in 6 cases and 4 controls. QFT was positive in 5 cases and 9 controls. Sensitivity and negative predictive value were higher in QFT but the specificity and positive predictive value were higher in TST. CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference between QFT and TST in evaluation of latent tuberculosis in liver transplant patients, however TST is less expensive and more feasible in Iran.

Liver Transplant for Metastatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Single-Center Report of 15 Cases.

OBJECTIVES: Liver transplant has been shown to be a good treatment option for patients with nonresectable tumors that are limited to liver and that do notrespond to medicaltreatment. In this study, our aim was to share our experience in management of patients with neuroendocrine tumors and liver metastasis by liver transplant with and without more extensive surgical interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a 6-year (2011- 2017) retrospective study of data from the Namazi Hospital Transplant Research Center. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were determined based on pretransplant policy in our center. Our study included 15 patients with mean age of 33.3 years. RESULTS: Of the 15 patients included, 53.3% (n = 8) had liver transplant alone, 26.6% (n = 4) had multiorgan transplant, 6.66% (n = 1) underwentWhipple procedure and liver transplant, and 6.66% (n = 1) had segmental ileal resection and liver transplant. Six early mortalities occurred during the posttransplant hospital stay, and 2 patients with multiorgan transplant died in the followup period. In addition, 1 patient needed retransplant during follow-up due to chronic rejection. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with neuroendocrine tumors, the therapeutic approach to the liver metastasis and the prognosis can be determined based on the natural history of the disease, severity and progression of symptoms,tumor biology, location, and differentiation. Early diagnosis and management are needed to allow less invasive treatment protocols, which could result in more favorable outcomes.

COVID-19 in Liver Transplant Patients: Report of 2 Cases and Review of the Literature.

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel coronavirus. Although liver injury is common in patients with COVID-19, little is known about its clinical presentation and management in liver transplantation. This is the first report from Iran that presented two cases of liver transplantation with COVID-19, neither of which had pulmonary signs and symptoms, but after diagnostic imaging, both had lung involvement. We also reviewed some literature on the management of COVID-19 in liver transplant patients. In conclusion, our patients improved after starting hydroxychloroquine and continuing to take all immunosuppressive agents except mycophenolate based on the multidisciplinary team's decision.

Biliary Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Non-biliary Cirrhosis-Report From 100 Explanted Livers: A Single Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a highly malignant tumor with a very short 5-year survival. Multistep carcinogenesis has been suggested as the main pathway for the development of this tumor. Main suggested precursors have been (1) biliary intraepithelial neoplasia (BilIN) and (2) intraductal papillary neoplasm of bile duct (IPNB). The former is flat and does not produce grossly and radiologically detectable mass lesion, but the latter produces grossly identifiable lesion. OBJECTIVES: The development of bile duct dysplasia (BilIN) in chronic biliary diseases has been investigated and proved, but the incidence of BilIN in non-biliary causes of cirrhosis such as hepatitis B and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis has very rarely been investigated. In this study, we have tried to find out the prevalence of BilIN in non-biliary cirrhosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During the study period (2017-2018) in 100 explanted livers with the diagnosis of non-biliary cirrhosis, thorough sampling (at least 20 sections) was performed, and pathologic sections were studied for the presence of BilIN. RESULTS: In the 100 studied livers with different diagnoses of non-biliary causes of cirrhosis, 31% of cases showed BilIN-1 and 2% of cases showed BiliIN-2. No case of BilIN-3 has been identified. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Non-biliary causes of cirrhosis should be considered as precursors of cholangiocarcinoma (BilIN); however, the incidence of this occurrence is low.

Liver Transplantation Status in Iran: A Multi-center Report on the Main Transplant Indicators and Survival Rates.

BACKGROUND: Iran's experience with liver transplantation (LT) began more than two decades ago. The purpose of this article is to present the status of LT in Iran, review specific characteristics of the programs, their outcomes, and their growth to become one of the largest LT programs in the world. METHODS: A questionnaire, asking for data on the number of transplants performed and specifics of the recipients and type of donors with focus on indications and outcomes was sent to LT programs. RESULTS: During a period of 23 years, 4,485 LTs were performed at 6 centers in the country. Of these, 4106 were from deceased donors and 379 were from living donors. There were 3553 adults and 932 pediatric recipients. Hepatitis B and biliary atresia were the most common etiologies in adult and pediatric patients, respectively. Overall survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 85%, 77%, and 71% for adults and 76%, 67% and 56% for pediatric patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Approval of the brain death law in Iran and coordinated efforts by the transplant centers to build comprehensive LT programs has resulted in the ability to procure more than 700 deceased donors per year with acceptable long-term survival.

Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraoperative Chemotherapy for Management of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of peritoneal metastases has gained interest among oncologic communities around the world. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy (HIPEC) have come to be the treatment of choice for selected patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) in recent years. Prior to HIPEC, patients were treated with palliative support and only guaranteed a few months to live. We reviewed our first 30 patients who underwent CRS and HIPEC. The aim of the study was assessment of the patients' survival, morbidity, and mortality rate and identifying prognostic factors of patients treated with CRS and HIPEC. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, data were retrospectively collected from 45 patients (15 men and 30 women) who underwent CRS and HIPEC between December 2008 and October 2016, at Nemaazi educational hospital and Shiraz central hospital of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Peri-operative and regular follow-up data on survival and complications were gathered and analyzed to identify their prognostic value for survival. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 49.7±16.46 years. The participants in this study consisted of 19 females (63.3%) and 11 males (36.7%). The most common primary tumor was ovarian cancer (30.1%). A completeness of cytoreduction score of CC0/CC1 was obtained in 80% of patients operated on with curative intent. The overall mortality rate was 20%. The 1- and 4-year overall survival (OS) were 89% and 54%, respectively. CONCLUSION: CRS and HIPEC are most successful in treatment of selected patients. Development of complete resection with CRS in these 8 years and good OS in our patients encourage us to continue the procedure with all its difficulties and cost.

Leiomyoma of the adrenal gland presenting as an incidentaloma.

This was an unusual case of a primary leiomyoma tumor of the adrenal gland in a 26-year-old woman incidentally found during workup for mild, dull abdominal pain.

Protective effect of parenteral vitamin E on ischemia-reperfusion injury of rabbit kidney.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of parenteral vitamin E on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS: Twenty German rabbits weighing 1.5-1.9 kg were selected and divided randomly into study and control groups. Each group contained 5 male and 5 female rabbits. Intravenous vitamin E was administered to the study group 5 minutes before left renal artery clamping and the same volume of normal saline was administered to the control group. Ischemia was maintained for 60 minutes. After 48 hours, nephrectomy was performed and kidneys were sent to the pathology laboratory. Histopathologic sections were evaluated by the pathologist and graded by the extent of tissue injury to normal, mild, and moderate to severe injury. RESULTS: Histopathologic evaluation of the sections revealed that in the control group 50% of the sections had signs of moderate to severe injury and 50% were categorized as mild injury, whereas 50% of the study group sections developed no sign of ischemia-reperfusion injury and 50% developed mild injury (P = .03). No significant correlation was found between sex and the extent of cell injury (P = .99). CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral injection of vitamin E significantly protects cells against ischemia-reperfusion injury in German rabbits.