Updates on liver transplantation: vascular and biliary complications. / Actualización de trasplante hepático. Complicaciones vasculares y biliares.

This article uses a practical approach to explain the imaging findings for vascular and biliary complications after total liver transplantation in adults, comparing them to the normal imaging findings after transplantation. It emphasizes the radiologic management of patients who have undergone transplantations and explains the treatment of the different complications by interventional radiology. The information provided comes from the authors' experience and a thorough, up-to-date review of the indexed literature.

ARFI elastography: changes after direct-acting antiviral treatment in transplanted livers with relapse of hepatitis C virus infection. / Elastografía tipo ARFI: modificación tras tratamiento antiviral en el trasplante hepático con recidiva por VHC.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in the values obtained in acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography of the liver after antiviral treatment in patients with liver transplants and hepatitis C virus (HVC) infection recurring after transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 15 patients infected with HVC who had received liver transplants where an HVC infection recurring in the graft within one year after the transplant was treated with direct-acting antivirals. All patients underwent ultrasonography including Doppler and ARFI elastography in the three months before starting treatment with direct-acting antivirals (baseline study) and again in the three months after finishing the treatment. In the same week when the elastography study was done, liver function tests were done and the viral load (HCV RNA) was determined in peripheral blood with the polymerase chain reaction method. We used the Wilcoxon test for paired samples to compare the changes in the shear wave velocities before and after treatment. RESULTS: All patients achieved a virologic response that was sustained at 3 months after the end of treatment. On elastography, median shear wave velocities decreased after treatment (1.97m/s before treatment vs. 1.58m/s after treatment; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The shear wave velocity decreased significantly after antiviral treatment in patients who had relapsed HVC infection after liver transplantation.

TT genotype of transforming growth factor beta1 +869C/T is associated with the development of chronic kidney disease after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a frequent complication in patients with liver transplantation (LT), and calcineurin inhibitor chronic nephrotoxicity, mediated by transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-ß1) is an important contributing factor. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of genetic polymorphisms of TGF-ß1 in the development of CKD at 6 months after transplantation. METHODS: One hundred sixty-four LT patients (63.4% male; overall mean age, 48.7 ± 11.6 years) were included in the analysis. CKD was considered at the 6th month after LT and was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) as calculated on the basis of Modification of Diet in Renal Disease 4-variable equation. TGF-ß1 +869 C/T and +915 G/C polymorphisms were analyzed with the use of hybridization with fluorescent probes and analysis by means of flow cytometry with the Luminex system. The association between the presence of CKD at 6 months and these polymorphisms, as well as with other known risk factors for CKD after LT, was considered. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, the TT genotype of TGF-ß1 +869 (P = .036; odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-4.2), age at LT (P < .001), pre-transplantation serum creatinine levels (P = .03), eGFR (P < .001), CKD (P = .027), and immunosuppression with cyclosporine (P = .017) were associated with CKD at 6 months after transplantation. In the multivariate analysis, TGF-ß1 +869TT genotype (P = .017), immunosuppression with cyclosporine (P = .002), age at LT (P = .024), and pre-transplantation CKD (P < .001) remained as independent variables associated with the development of CKD at 6 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: The genetic polymorphism TGF-ß1 +869 C/T may be an independent risk factor for CKD after liver transplantation.

CC genotype at rs12979860 of IL28B is associated with lower risk of new-onset diabetes after transplantation in adult patients with liver transplantation for hepatitis C cirrhosis.

INTRODUCTION: New-onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation (NODAT) in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis is associated with more aggressive HCV recurrence on the graft, rapid progression of fibrosis, and lower rate of sustained viral response to antiviral therapy. The CC genotype at rs12979860 of the IL28B is associated with greater rates of spontaneous clearance of HCV and response to antiviral therapy. IL28B acts on the interferon-stimulated genes through the JAK-STAT pathway, which is related to the development of insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate whether IL28B rs12979860 polymorphism is associated with the development of NODAT after LT for cirrhosis owing to HCV infection. METHODS: We analyzed 99 patients (age, 52.7 ± 9.4 years; 70% male) who underwent LT for HCV-related cirrhosis, with ≥1 year of follow-up and with available DNA sample. NODAT was defined starting from the sixth month after LT, according to the international consensus guidelines. Genotyping was carried out by real-time polymerase chain reaction and analysis of the melting temperature with the LightCycler 480 system. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (28.3%) developed NODAT. CC genotype at rs12979860 of IL28B was associated with a lesser incidence of NODAT versus non-CC genotypes (P = .05; odds ratio, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.11-0.92). We did not find any association between NODAT and age at transplantation, gender, pretransplant body mass index, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, type of initial immunosuppression (cyclosporine, tacrolimus or corticosteroids) or acute rejection treated with steroids. CONCLUSION: The CC genotype at rs12979860 of IL28B is a protective factor for NODAT in patients with LT for HCV-related cirrhosis.