Does Calcineurin Inhibitor Plus Mycophenolate Mofetil Combination Therapy Decrease the Risk of Late Acute Rejection after Liver Transplantation? / 대한이식학회지

BACKGROUND: With advances in immunosuppression, graft and patient survival rates have increased significantly, but acute cellular rejection remains an important problem following liver transplantation (LT), and late acute rejection (LAR) occurs in a small percentage of recipients. Some risk factors for LAR have been identified, yet the cause of LAR has not been completely investigated. The efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) administered in combination with calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) for reduction of LAR has been demonstrated. METHODS: Between January 2006 and August 2007, adult LT recipients (n=309) were enrolled in this study. Biopsy-proven acute rejection that occurred >6 months after LT was defined as LAR. The immunosuppression regimens, CNI or CNI plus MMF, were used continuously for at least 6 months after LT. The mean follow-up period was 34.8 months (range, 25~46 months). RESULTS: LAR occurred in 17 cases (5.5%). The incidence of LAR in the CNI (n=138) or CNI plus MMF groups (n=171) was 8.6% (n=12) and 2.9% (n=5), respectively (P=0.015). Multivariate Cox regression confirmed that CNI plus MMF versus CNI therapy is associated with a decreased risk of LAR (relative risk, 0.33; P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of LAR in the CNI plus MMF group was significantly lower than the CNI group. Thus, continuous use of CNI plus MMF may represent a better immunosuppression regimen to decrease the rate of LAR in LT recipients.

Effect of Splenic Artery Interruption on Complete Blood Count Profiles in Living Donor Liver Transplant Recipients

PURPOSE: Splenectomy during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in a hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhotic recipient was performed by a Tokyo group to enhance the patient's tolerability to post-operative anti-viral treatment by improving complete blood count (CBC) profiles. At our institution, interruption of the splenic artery (SPA) by ligation or embolization in lieu of splenectomy, has been performed in LDLT to modulate portal blood flow in small-for-size graft LDLT or to prevent rupture of SPA aneurysms in recipients. We aimed to determine if interruption of the SPA can serve as an alternative management to splenectomy in LDLT recipients based on our data. METHODS: Patients were classified into the splenic artery ligation group (SAL; n=26) and splenic artery embolization group (SAE; n=19), respectively. Among the recipients without SPA interruption, age-, gender-, and severity of cirrhosis-matched 25 recipients were selected as a control group. Post-operative CBC profiles and spleen size were reviewed retrospectively and compared between the groups. RESULTS: After SAL, platelet and neutrophil counts were significantly increased at 3 and 6 months, and at 1 week and 1 month, respectively (p<0.05). After SAE, platelet and neutrophil counts were significantly increased at 3 and 6 months, and at 1 week and 3 months, respectively. There were no significant complications related to interruption of the SPA. CONCLUSION: Interruption of the SPA may have a role in improving neutrophil and platelet counts in LDLT recipients with severe pancytopenia or in whom antiviral treatment for HCV in anticipated.

Effect of Splenic Artery Interruption on Complete Blood Count Profiles in Living Donor Liver Transplant Recipients

PURPOSE: Splenectomy during living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in a hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhotic recipient was performed by a Tokyo group to enhance the patient's tolerability to post-operative anti-viral treatment by improving complete blood count (CBC) profiles. At our institution, interruption of the splenic artery (SPA) by ligation or embolization in lieu of splenectomy, has been performed in LDLT to modulate portal blood flow in small-for-size graft LDLT or to prevent rupture of SPA aneurysms in recipients. We aimed to determine if interruption of the SPA can serve as an alternative management to splenectomy in LDLT recipients based on our data. METHODS: Patients were classified into the splenic artery ligation group (SAL; n=26) and splenic artery embolization group (SAE; n=19), respectively. Among the recipients without SPA interruption, age-, gender-, and severity of cirrhosis-matched 25 recipients were selected as a control group. Post-operative CBC profiles and spleen size were reviewed retrospectively and compared between the groups. RESULTS: After SAL, platelet and neutrophil counts were significantly increased at 3 and 6 months, and at 1 week and 1 month, respectively (p<0.05). After SAE, platelet and neutrophil counts were significantly increased at 3 and 6 months, and at 1 week and 3 months, respectively. There were no significant complications related to interruption of the SPA. CONCLUSION: Interruption of the SPA may have a role in improving neutrophil and platelet counts in LDLT recipients with severe pancytopenia or in whom antiviral treatment for HCV in anticipated.

Effectiveness of Plasmapheresis as a Liver Support for Graft Dysfunction Following Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation / 대한이식학회지

BACKGROUND: Severe graft dysfunction has been occasionally encountered following adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This study intended to assess the effectiveness of plasmapheresis (PP) as a liver supportive measure in LDLT recipients showing severe graft dysfunction. METHODS: During 1 year of 2007, 276 adult LDLTs were performed in our institution. Of them 27 underwent PP therapy as a liver support. RESULTS: Seventeen underwent PP during the first month following LDLT and another 10 underwent PP after that period. The underlying causes of such liver support were acute and chronic rejections, ischemic damage, viral hepatitis recurrence and unknown causes. A total of 329 sessions of PP were performed for these 27 patients, indicating 12.2+/-9.9 times per patient for 28.1+/-32.2 days. Concurrent hemodiafiltration was done in 66.7%. Serum total bilirubin level was significantly reduced following PP therapy: 23.2+/-6.5 mg/dL before PP and 14.4+/-5.6 mg/dL at 1 week after completion of PP (P<0.001). Other biochemical parameters did not significantly affected by PP. Overall 1-year patient survival rate was 63.0%. Six-month graft survival rate after completion of PP was 82.6% in 17 patients undergoing PP during the first posttransplant month and 30% in 10 patients undergoing PP after 1 month (P= 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study implicate that PP has a beneficial effect on the recovery of liver graft function, especially during the early posttransplant period. We suggest to perform active application of PP therapy for liver recipients showing severe graft dysfunction of total bilirubin greater than 15~20 mg/dL.

Expression of p53 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Gastric Cancer; Usefullness as Clinical Significance

PURPOSE: Recent studies have indicated that the p53 tumor suppressor gene and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play an important role in the angiogenic process of tumors. In this study, the correlation of the expressions of p53 and VEGF and the clinical features in gastric cancer were investigated. METHODS: The expressions of p53 and VEGF in gastric cancer were determined using immunohistochemistry on 98 randomly selected gastric cancer patients that had received curative resection. RESULTS: The expression of p53 and VEGF were observed in 51% and 50% of tumors, respectively. A significant correlation was found between p53 expression and the tumor histological type (P=0.045). The higher the TNM stage, the higher the observed level of p53 expression. The p53 and VEGF expression stati coincided in 70.4% of tumors, with a significant correlation found between the p53 and VEGF stati. Significantly worse survival rates were found in p53-positive and VEGF-positive patients than in those that were p53-negative and VEGF-negative. CONCLUSION: The present results indicated that p53 and VEGF expressions are useful in predicting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.