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Objective To summarize the therapeutic experience of lower limb pain syndrome caused by tacrolimus (FK506) after liver transplantation. Methods A 52-year-old male patient diagnosed with virus B hepatitis (hepatitis B), post-hepatitis liver cirrhosis at the decompensation stage and malignant liver tumors developed bilateral lower limbs pain syndrome after liver transplantation with FK506 immunosuppressant. After eliminating the possibility of angioneurotic pain, FK506 was terminated and replaced by sirolimus (SRL) therapy. The blood concentration was maintained at 6~8 ng/mLduring the early stage, and then gradually adjusted according to the survival time of the liver graft. Results After 2-weeks conversion therapy, the swelling and pain of bilateral lower limbs of the patient were gradually relieved, and the skin pruritus was gradually healed. After 1 month, the patient was basically restored to normal activity and function. No recurrence was reported until the submission date of this manuscript. Conclusions Bilateral lower limbs pain syndrome caused by adverse reaction of FK506 is relatively rare. FK506 can be substituted by SRL to avoid the adverse reaction.
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Objective To summarize the clinical experience of immunosuppressive therapy for recipients suffering from psoriasis after liver transplantation. Methods Five patients diagnosed with cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)complicated with psoriasis after liver transplantation were recruited in this clinical trial. All participants were positive for serum biomarkers of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Induction therapy was adopted before surgery. Immunosuppressive regime of tacrolimus (FK506),mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)and adrenal cortical hormone (hormone) was implemented early after surgery. The hormone use was terminated within 1 week. Three cases of cirrhosis complicated with HCC due to chronic HBV infection were gradually switched to sirolimus substitution treatment within 1 month after liver transplantation. Two patients with cirrhosis were administered with FK506 with or without MMF following liver transplantation. All patients received anti-HBV therapy. Baseline data,changes in psoriasis area and severity index (PASI)score and adjustment of postoperative immunosuppressive agents were analyzed. Results Five patients undergoing transplantation were followed up until the submission date with a mean duration of (8. 3 ±1 . 5 )years and survived. Compared with preoperative values,PASI score was significantly reduced at postoperative 6 months (P<0. 05 ). Two patients with cirrhosis had recurrent psoriasis at 2 years after liver transplantation. PASI score was significantly increased and steadily declined after sirolimus substitution therapy. These patients remained physically stable and did not progress at postoperative 3 years. Three patients suffering from cirrhosis complicated with HCC presented with no recurrence of psoriasis postoperatively. Conclusions Sirolimus-based immunosuppressive therapy can effectively control the progression of psoriasis in liver transplantation recipients. Anti-HBV treatment should be simultaneously implemented for HBV positive patients.
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Objective To analyze the correlation of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)with the expression levels of regulatory T cell (Treg)and cytokines in peripheral blood. Methods A total of 56 patients who underwent liver transplantation in the 309th Hospital of People's Liberation Army from 2010 to 2014 were studied. According to the postoperative pathological data,all the patients were divided into the group of liver transplantation for HCC (HCC group,n=28)and group of liver transplantation for cirrhosis (liver cirrhosis group,n=28), of which the HCC group was further divided into non-recurrence group (n=8)and recurrence group (n=20)according to the situation of postoperative tumor recurrence. The expression levels of Treg and cytokines [vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),interleukin (IL)-2,IL-10,IL-12,transformation growth factor (TGF)-βand interferon (IFN)-γ]in peripheral blood of the patients in various groups were compared. Results Compared with the liver cirrhosis group,levels of IFN-γand IL-12 in the non-recurrence group increased significantly (both P<0.05);levels of Treg%,VEGF,IFN-γ, IL-10 and TGF-βin the recurrence group increased significantly,while levels of IL-2 and IL-12 decreased significantly (all P<0.05). Compared with the non-recurrence group,levels of Treg%,VEGF,IL-10 and TGF-βin the recurrence group increased significantly,while levels of IFN-γ,IL-2 and IL-12 decreased significantly (all P<0.05 ). Conclusions Levels of Treg and cytokines can be used to predict the tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for HCC.
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Objective To discuss the relationship between Foxp3 +regulatory T cell (Treg)and tumor recurrence of patients after liver transplantation for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) over University of California,San Francisco (UCSF)criteria.Methods Clinical data of 24 patients with HCC undergoing liver transplantation in the Organ Transplantation Research Institute of the 309 th Hospital of People's Liberation Army from January 2010 to December 2013 were retrospectively studied.During the follow-up,4 patients recurred (tumor recurrence group)and other 20 patients did not recur (tumor non-recurrence group).The blood samples of healthy people was selected as control group at the same period.The levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)were compared at different time points of the recurrence group and the non-recurrent group before and after transplantation.The levels of Foxp3 +Treg (Foxp3 +Treg%)were compared at different time points of the tumor recurrence group,the tumor non-recurrence group and the control group before and after transplantation.The relations between expression of Foxp3 +Treg and the levels of AFP,CD3 + and CD8 +T before and after transplantation were analyzed by correlation analysis.Results Compared with the level of Foxp3 +Treg before transplantation and the normal level,the expression of Foxp3 +Treg of patients in tumor non-recurrence group after transplantation firstly decreased,then gradually increased and finally stabilized at a low level.Compared with patients in tumor non-recurrence group,the levels of AFP and Foxp3 +Treg of patients in tumor recurrence group increased obviously and were significantly higher than the normal levels (both in P <0.01).Moreover,abnormal increase of Foxp3 +Treg at early stage was prior to AFP among the patients in tumor recurrence group.Correlation analysis indicated that the change of Foxp3 +Treg was consistent with the changes of AFP,which was positively correlated (P <0.01).But the change of Foxp3 +Treg was contrary to the change of effector T cells (CD3 +T cells and CD8 + T cells),which was negatively correlated (P <0.05-0.01).Conclusions Foxp3 +Treg is closely associated with tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for HCC.In the patients after liver transplantation for HCC over UCSF criteria,the higher Foxp3 +Treg is,the higher the recurrence risk is.Joint detection of AFP is beneficial to find tumor recurrence.