ABSTRACT
Objective The incidence of early allograft dysfunction (EAD) following deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) is high and affects the prognosis of the recipient. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for EAD following DDLT. Methods This retrospective study included 79 cases of liver transplantation performed in the No. 900 Hospital of PLA Joint Logistic Support Force from January 2015 to December 2017. We collected the clinical data on the donors and recipients, propensity-score matched the pre- and intra-operative data on the recipients, and analyzed the risk factors for EAD identified among 17 donor-related variables. Results EAD was found in 26 (32.9%) of the recipients. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences between the EAD and non-EAD groups in the body mass index, warm ischemia time, and cold ischemia time of the donors (P < 0.05), and so did multivariate logistic regression analysis in the levels of serum sodium and alanine aminotransferase and warm ischemia time of the donors (P < 0.05). The best cut-off values of the serum sodium level and warm ischemia time of the donors for predicting post-operative EAD were 152.7 mmol/L and 8 min, respectively. Conclusion The serum sodium and alanine aminotransferase levels and warm ischemia time of the donors are independent risk factors for EAD after DDLT. The serum sodium level and warm ischemia time of the donors play an important role in evaluating the quality of deceased donor organs.