Impact of selective prostaglandin E1 treatment on graft perfusion and function after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In several clinical trials, the prophylactic application of prostaglandin E1 did not demonstrate a significant effect on incidence of primary graft nonfunction after liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a selective prostaglandin E1 treatment in liver transplant patients with initially compromised perfusion and thereby depressed early posttransplant graft function. METHODOLOGY: A total of 142 patients were enrolled in this study. In all of them, duplexsonography was performed daily to generally assess patency of allograft vessels and to specifically calculate the resistive index of the hepatic artery. Intravenous therapy with a prostaglandin E1 analogue (Alprostadil, 0.5 microg/kg/h) was initiated in 67 patients after determination of a primarily elevated (>0.75) and posttransplant increasing resistive index of the hepatic artery that was associated with continuously elevating aminotransferases. RESULTS: After initiation of treatment, the arterial resistive index decreased significantly from 0.83+/-0.1 to 0.72+/-0.1 on the first day of application (P<0.05). Primarily elevated serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST: Alprostadil: 890+/-180 IU/L: CONTROL: 375+/-98 IU/L) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT: Alprostadil: 850+/-178 IU/L, CONTROL: 310+/-79 IU/L) decreased significantly and reached values comparable to the control group after three days of therapy (AST: Alprostadil: 190+/-40 IU/L, CONTROL: 150+/-45 IU/L ALT: Alprostadil: 280+/-57 IU/L, CONTROL: 180+/-50 IU/L) (P<0.05). Only 2 grafts with initial compromised perfusion and function (3%) developed primary graft nonfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Prostaglandin E1 seems to be effective in ameliorating ischemia-reperfusion injury to the liver in patients with elevated arterial vascular resistance and early depressed graft function after liver transplantation. Duplexsonography in combination with graft function are useful tools for indicating and monitoring treatment.