RESUMO
Objective To evaluate the predictive value of raised eosinophil count in peripheral blood in the diagnosis of acute rejection (AR) after liver transplantation (LT).Methods The peripheral blood eosinophil count the day before or on the day of biopsy in 125 biopsies from 101 liver transplant patients was retrospectively analyzed.Patients were divided into AR group and non-acute rejection (NAR) group according to histopathologic findings.Absolute and relative eosinophil counts were compared between two groups.The optimal cut-off value for both parameters was determined by using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Sensitivity and specificity of the parameters was calculated.Results Absolute and relative eosinophil counts were significantly higher in the AR group (n =56) than in the NAR group and positively correlated with the episode of AR (r=0.218,P =0.015,and r =0.182,P =0.042,respectively),ROC curve analysis showed that absolute eosinophil counts of 0.145 × 109/L and relative eosinophil counts of 2.35％ had the highest Youden index (0.17 and 0.185,respectively).The cut-off value of 0.145 × 109/L for absolute eosinophil counts and 2.35％ for relative eosinophil counts was used,respectively.The sensitivity of both absolute and relative eosinophil counts to predict AR was 28.6％,and the specificity was 88.4％ and 89.9％,respectively.Conclusion A raised eosinophil population in peripheral blood is associated with AR.Raised eosinophil count has a predictive value in diagnosis of AR after LT with a high specificity but low sensitivity.