First consensus document of waiting list prioritization for liver transplantation by the Spanish Society of Liver Transplantation (SETH).

Spain is worldwide leader in deceased donation rates per million habitants and count on a strong network of twenty-five liver transplant institutions. Although the access to liver transplantation is higher than in other countries, approximately 10% of patients qualifying for liver transplantation in Spain will die in the waiting list or would be excluded due to clinical deterioration. A robust waiting list prioritization system is paramount to grant the sickest patients with the first positions in the waiting list for an earlier access to transplant. In addition, the allocation policy may not create or perpetuate inequities, particularly in a public and universal healthcare system. Hitherto, Spain lacks a unique national allocation system for elective liver transplantation. Most institutions establish their own rules for liver allocation and only two autonomous regions, namely Andalucía and Cataluña, share part of their waiting list within their territory to provide regional priority to patients requiring more urgent transplantation. This heterogeneity is further aggravated by the recently described sex-based disparities for accessing liver transplantation in Spain, and by the expansion of liver transplant indications, mainly for oncological indications, in absence of clear guidance on the optimal prioritization policy. The present document contains the recommendations from the first consensus of waiting list prioritization for liver transplantation issued by the Spanish Society of Liver Transplantation (SETH). The document was supported by all liver transplant institutions in Spain and by the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes (ONT). Its implementation will allow to homogenize practices and to improve equity and outcomes among patients with end-stage liver disease.

Nomogram and Validity of a Model for Predicting Malnutrition in Patients on Liver Transplant Lists.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is associated with increased morbimortality in liver transplant patients, and it is important to identify factors related to nutritional status in these patients. AIMS: Determine variables associated with malnutrition and create a nomogram in liver transplant candidates. METHODS: Cross-sectional study (n = 110). VARIABLES: demographic variables, imbalances due to the disease, transplant aetiology and analytical parameters. Physical examination was performed and degree of hepatic dysfunction calculated. Nutritional status was assessed: Controlling Nutritional Status, Spanish Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition criteria, Nutritional Risk Index, Prognostic Nutritional Index or Onodera Index and The Subjective Global Assessment. Logistic regression analysis was performed. A predictive nomogram (discrimination and calibration analysis) was generated. RESULTS: Malnourishment was defined according to at least 4 or more of the methods studied. Patients with ascites, encephalopathy and portal hypertension presented malnourishment more frequently. Malnutrition was associated with greater liver dysfunction and lower grip strength. Variables independently associated with malnourishment were encephalopathy and lower albumin values. A nomogram was created to predict malnourishment, with good discriminatory power and calibration. CONCLUSIONS: A score was developed for evaluating malnutrition risk. This would provide a tool that makes it possible to quickly and easily identify the risk of malnutrition in liver transplant candidates.

Concordance among methods of nutritional assessment in patients included on the waiting list for liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine the extent of malnutrition in patients waiting for a liver transplant. The agreement among the methods of nutritional assessment and their diagnostic validity were evaluated. METHODS: Patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation (n = 110) were studied. The variables were: body mass index, analytical parameters, liver disease etiology, and complications. Liver dysfunction was evaluated using the Child-Pugh Scale. Nutritional state was studied using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT), the Spanish Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SENPE) criteria, the Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI-O), and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). Agreement was determined using the Kappa index. Area under receiver operator characteristic curves (AUCs), the Youden index (J), and likelihood ratios were computed. RESULTS: Malnutrition varied depending on the method of evaluation. The highest value was detected using the CONUT (90.9%) and the lowest using the SGA (50.9%). The pairwise agreement among the methods ranged from K = 0.041 to K = 0.826, with an overall agreement of each criteria with the remaining methods between K = 0.093 and K = 0.364. PNI-O was the method with the highest overall agreement. Taking this level of agreement into account, we chose the PNI-O as a benchmark method of comparison. The highest positive likelihood ratio for the diagnosis of malnutrition was obtained from the Nutritional Risk Index (13.56). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition prevalence is high and prevalence estimates vary according the method used, with low concordance among methods. PNI-O and NRI are the most consistent methods to identify malnutrition in these patients.

Assessment of nutritional status and health-related quality of life before and after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic liver disease frequently suffer from malnutrition, together with a decline in their health-related quality of life. This study was carried out with the aim of evaluating the nutritional status, complications of medical and surgical care, anxiety, health-related quality of life and dependence level on basic and instrumental activities of daily living in pre- and post-liver transplant patients. METHODS/DESIGN: A prospective observational study with follow-up of patients on the waiting list for liver transplants who subsequently received a transplant at the University Hospital Complex in A Coruña during the period 2012-2014 (n = 110). All the patients will be followed-up for a maximum of 6 months. For survivors, assessments will be re-evaluated at one, three and six months post- transplant. Informed consent of the patient and ethical review board approval was obtained (Code: 2010/081 and 2010/082). The following variables will be studied: socio-demographic data, reason for the transplant, comorbidity (Charlson Score), analytical parameters, time on transplant waiting list and post-transplant complications. A trained nurse will evaluate the following for each patient: nutritional indices, anthropometric variables and handgrip strength. Validated questionnaires will be used to determine the patients' nutritional status (Subjective Global Assessment), anxiety (STAI questionnaire), Health-Related Quality of Life (LDQoL 1.0 questionnaire), dependence (Barthel Index and Lawton-Brody Scale), nursing diagnoses (NANDA) and post-transplant quality indicators. Multiple linear/logistic regression models will be used to identify variables associated with the events of interest. Changes in nutritional status, quality of life and dependence over time will be analysed with linear mixed-effects regression models. Actuarial survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves, Cox regression and competitive risk will be performed Concordance between the different scores that assess nutritional status and interobserver agreement regarding nursing diagnoses will be studied using the statistical Kappa index and Bland Altman method. DISCUSSION: The risk of malnutrition can be considered as a possible prognostic factor in transplant outcomes, associated with anxiety, health-related quality of life and dependence. For this reason we consider interesting to perform a prospective follow-up study of patients who require a transplant to survive, studying their nutritional status and health-related quality of life.

[Risk factors associated with invasive fungal infection in orthotopic liver transplantation]. / Factores de riesgo de infección fúngica invasiva en el trasplante hepático.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Invasive fungal infection (IFI) in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) influences survival, hence the need for risk predictors. We have determined the incidence and risk factors associated with invasive fungal infection in OLT. PATIENTS AND METHOD: 165 OLTs performed in 152 receptors from May 1994 to May 1998 at the Hospital Juan Canalejo (La Coruña), were included in the study. Pre-surgical, surgical and post-surgical variables were evaluated. Those variables that independently influenced the development of IFI were determined by multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: IFI presented in 7 cases /152 patients (4.6%). In the univariate analysis, IFI was associated with pre-transplantation serum albumin, the number of blood units transfused, mechanical ventilation (OR = 7.56), re-transplantation (OR = 11.10) cytomegalovirus infection (OR = 8.35) and pre-transplantation GOT. In the multivariate analysis, the independent variables predicting IFI were the number of blood units transfused (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.05-1.38), serum albumin pre-transplantation (OR = 0.06; 95% CI, 0.007-0.537) and re-transplantation (HR = 432; 95% CI, 9.80-19 058). CONCLUSIONS: Pre-transplantation serum albumin, a clear predictor, the number of blood units transfused and re-transplantation are all independent predictors of IFI.