title: Risk factors for systemic fungal infections in liver transplant recipients.
abstract: The risk factors for systemic fungal infections were analysed retrospectively in 186 orthotopic liver transplant procedures performed in 152 patients between June 1985 and January 1993. The total incidence of systemic fungal infections was 16.5% (25/152). The incidence of disseminated candidiasis, aspergillosis, and combined candidiasis and aspergillosis was 6.5% (n = 10), 7.2% (n = 11) and 2.6% (n = 4), respectively. Mortality associated with systemic fungal infections was 80% (20 of 25 patients). There were ten cases of disseminated candidiasis, with 4 patients surviving, and 11 cases of invasive aspergillosis, with 1 patient surviving. All patients with combined systemic fungal infection died. To identify perioperative risk factors, 39 variables were used to compare patients with systemic fungal infections versus those without fungal infections. Fourteen variables were significantly associated with systemic fungal infections by univariate analysis. A consecutive logistic regression analysis revealed that the amount of fresh frozen plasma transfused due to poor initial function of the allograft and acute renal failure requiring hemofiltration were independently significant risk factors for systemic fungal infections. There was no statistical correlation between systemic fungal infections and the underlying liver disease, previous long-term corticosteroids and the postoperative immunosuppressive therapy. Risk factors identified in this study should be considered in the postoperative care of the individual liver transplant recipient. In our study a poor initial function of the hepatic allograft substantially increased the risk of systemic fungal infection.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Anaesthesíologie, Abteilung Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Briegel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spill
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grabein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kilger
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Jauch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maag
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruckdeschel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016469:Fungemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009181:Mycoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000666:Amphotericin B