Transient hyperglycemia during liver transplantation does not affect the early graft function.

UNLABELLED: Background and rationale for the study. Hyperglycemia after graft reperfusion is a consistent finding in liver transplantation (LT) that remains poorly studied. We aim to describe its appearance in LT recipients of different types of grafts and its relation to the graft function. MATERIAL & METHODS: 436 LT recipients of donors after brain death (DBD), donors after cardiac death (DCD), and familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) donors were reviewed. Serum glucose was measured at baseline, during the anhepatic phase, after graft reperfusion, and at the end of surgery. Early graft dysfunction (EAD) was assessed by Olthoff criteria. Caspase-3, IFN-γ, IL1ß, and IL6 gene expression were measured in liver biopsy. RESULTS: The highest increase in glucose levels after reperfusion was observed in FAP LT recipients and the lowest in DCD LT recipients. Glucose level during the anhepatic phase was the only modifiable predictive variable of hyperglycemia after reperfusion. No relation was found between hyperglycemia after reperfusion and EAD. However, recipients with the highest glucose levels after reperfusion tended to achieve the best glucose control at the end of surgery and those who were unable to control the glucose value after reperfusion showed EAD more frequently. The highest levels of caspase-3 were found in recipients with the lowest glucose values after reperfusion. In conclusion, glucose levels increased after graft reperfusion to a different extent according to the donor type. Contrary to general belief, transient hyperglycemia after reperfusion does not appear to impact negatively on the liver graft function and could even be suggested as a marker of graft quality.

Pre operative cardio pulmonary assessment of the liver transplant candidate.

Given the severe shortage of liver donors, a carefully evaluation and selection of patients who are likely to obtain a significant survival benefit from liver transplantation (LT) is imperative in order to attain successful outcomes. Cardiovascular and respiratory events remain one of the leading causes of non-graft-related death in LT. A variety of pre-existing cardiac and pulmonary disorders are commonly identified in LT recipients, more so than in the general population. Uncertainties regarding the optimal assessment of cardiovascular and respiratory function in potential transplant candidates have produced a wide variation in the clinical care of tjis population. There is still no consensus on which assessment algorithm confers the best outcomes. Once the diagnosis has been established, the prognosis should be estimated for risk stratification and to confirm the candidacy for LT. Additionally, the challenge remains in knowing how cardiac or respiratory derangements in candidates affect the long-term outcome after LT and which is the magnitude of risk that we as physicians are willing to accept. This article discusses the cardiac and pulmonary aspects of liver disease that may impact recipient selection. Relevant literature focused upon the most common entities in this field is presented in this review.