What is the optimal antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent postoperative infectious complications after liver transplantation? A systematic review of the literature and expert panel recommendations.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial prophylaxis is well-accepted in the liver transplant (LT) setting. Nevertheless, optimal regimens to prevent bacterial, viral, and fungal infections are not defined. OBJECTIVES: To identify the optimal antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent post-LT bacterial, fungal, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, to improve short-term outcomes, and to provide international expert panel recommendations. DATA SOURCES: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Central. METHODS: Systematic review following PRISMA guidelines and recommendations using the GRADE approach derived from an international expert panel. PROSPERO ID: CRD42021244976. RESULTS: Of 1853 studies screened, 34 were included for this review. Bacterial, CMV, and fungal antimicrobial prophylaxis were evaluated separately. Pneumocystis jiroveccii pneumonia (PJP) antimicrobial prophylaxis was analyzed separately from other fungal infections. Overall, eight randomized controlled trials, 21 comparative studies, and five observational noncomparative studies were included. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial prophylaxis is recommended to prevent bacterial, CMV, and fungal infection to improve outcomes after LT. Universal antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended to prevent postoperative bacterial infections. The choice of antibiotics should be individualized and length of therapy should not exceed 24 hours (Quality of Evidence; Low | Grade of Recommendation; Strong). Both universal prophylaxis and preemptive therapy are strongly recommended for CMV prevention following LT. The choice of one or the other strategy will depend on individual program resources and experiences, as well as donor and recipient serostatus. (Quality of Evidence; Low | Grade of Recommendation; Strong). Antifungal prophylaxis is strongly recommended for LT recipients at high risk of developing invasive fungal infections. The drug of choice remains controversial. (Quality of Evidence; High | Grade of Recommendation; Strong). PJP prophylaxis is strongly recommended. Length of prophylaxis remains controversial. (Quality of Evidence; Very Low | Grade of Recommendation; Strong).

Ischaemic preconditioning of the graft in adult living related right lobe liver transplantation: impact on ischaemia-reperfusion injury and clinical relevance.

BACKGROUND: Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) of the right liver graft in the donor has not been studied in adult-to-adult living related liver transplantation (LRLT). OBJECTIVE: To assess the IPC effect of the graft on ischaemia reperfusion injury in the recipient and compare recipient and donor outcomes with and without preconditioned grafts. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Alternate patients were transplanted with right lobe grafts that were (n = 22; Group (Precond)) or were not (n = 22; Group (Control)) subjected to IPC in the living donor. Liver ischaemia-reperfusion injury, liver/kidney function, morbidity/mortality rates and outcomes were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors predictive of the aspartate aminotransferase (AST) peak and minimum prothrombin time. RESULTS: Both groups had similar length of hospital stay, morbidity/mortality, primary non-function and acute rejection rates. Post-operative AST (P = 0.8) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) peaks (P = 0.6) were similar in both groups (307 +/- 189 and 437 +/- 302 vs. 290 +/- 146 and 496 +/- 343, respectively). In univariate analysis, only pre-operative AST and warm ischemia time (WIT) were significantly associated with post-operative AST peak (in recipients). In multivariate analysis, the graft/recipient weight ratio (P = 0.003) and pre-operative bilirubin concentration (P = 0.004) were significantly predictive of minimum prothrombin time post-transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Graft IPC in the living related donor is not associated with any benefit for the recipient or the donor and its clinical value remains uncertain.