ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the characteristics of pulmonary infection and its risk factors after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical data of 250 cases having liver transplantations from April 2001 to August 2005 were retrospectively studied in order to analyse the differences between patients with and without pulmonary infection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Fifty-seven (57/250, 22.8%) recipients had 72 episodes of pulmonary infection after liver transplantation. Bacterial infection was the most common followed by fungal infection (13/72, 18.1%), and cytomegalovirus infection (12/72, 16.7%). There were 36 episodes of pulmonary infection caused by one kind of bacteria, 5 episodes by two kinds of bacteria and 6 episodes by multiple kinds of bacteria. Seven episodes of fungal infection were accompanied with bacterial infection, and three episodes of cytomegalovirus infection were accompanied with bacterial infection simultaneously. The 1-, 2- and 3- year survival rates were 71.9%, 61.4%, and 53.4% of the patients with pulmonary infection and 93.1%, 75.8%, and 67.2% of those without the infection. Logistic regression analysis suggested that preoperative infection, mechanical ventilation > 12 hours, a long duration of the operation, total volume of blood transfusion during operation >1000 ml, reoperation after OLT, postoperative pleural effusion and the duration of stay in the intensive care unit were independent risk factors of pulmonary infection after OLT.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Bacterial infections were the main pulmonary infection after OLT and the infections caused by multiple pathogens or multiple-antibiotic-resistant bacteria were seen more frequently. The risk factors of pulmonary infection should be controlled to decrease the infection rate after OLT. It is important to make a correct diagnosis for pulmonary infection after OLT and use appropriate antibiotics as soon as possible.</p>