title: HLA compatibility and liver transplant outcome. Improved patient survival by HLA and cross-matching.
abstract: In liver transplantation (LTx), numerous studies have failed to demonstrate an adverse effect of HLA-A,B,DR incompatibility or of donor-specific positive cross-match on survival of the recipients. In this study, we examined the effect of antidonor cytotoxic antibody and HLA compatibility in 800 LTx recipients with CsA-based immunosuppression. Thirty-four of 482 (7%) recipients were transplanted across a positive donor-specific T cell cross-match. Four-year patient and graft survival was 71% and 67%, respectively, in negative cross-match recipients and 53% and 50%, respectively, in positive cross-match recipients (P = 0.0051 and P = 0.023). Neither B cell-positive cross-match nor the presence of panel reactive antibody (PRA) had an adverse impact on the liver allograft outcome. Interestingly, 21/58 (36.2%) patients with PRA > or = 10% had a positive T cell cross-match, whereas only 7/382 (1.8%) patients with PRA < 10% did (P < 0.0001). This indicates the predictive value of PRA cross-match results. B lymphocyte cross-match results also were strongly correlated with the presence of PRA, as 26/57 (45.6%) of the patients with PRA > or = 10% had a positive cross-match, whereas only 22/394 (5.6%) with PRA < 10% did (P < 0.0001). Analysis of HLA compatibility demonstrated a significant impact on patient's survival, comparing only 0-2 vs. 6 HLA-A+B+DR mismatches and 0 vs. 1 vs. 2 HLA-DR mismatches. Four-year patient survival rate for 0 to 2 antigen mismatches was 86%, whereas for 6 antigen mismatches it was 62% (P = 0.025). Overall actuarial 4-year patient survival rate in HLA-DR-mismatched groups (0 vs. 1 vs. 2) was 84%, 73%, and 64%, respectively (P = 0.033). In no mismatched category was graft survival rate significantly different. Sepsis or rejection was the cause of graft loss in 1/10 (10%), 21/75 (28%), and 34/85 (40%) patients with 0, 1, and 2 HLA-DR mismatches, respectively. The difference between patient and graft survival was accounted for by survival after retransplantation, which was lower in patients with more HLA-DR mismatches in primary transplants. The latter group received intensive immunosuppressive therapy during the first month after primary transplantation, as compared with those with fewer HLA-DR mismatches (P = 0.04). The above data suggest that prospective cross-match should be performed in patients with > or = 10% PRA if it is logistically feasible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75246.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikaein
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Backman
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gonwa
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klintmalm
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001788:Blood Grouping and Crossmatching; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000188:drug therapy; D006085:Graft Survival; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006648:Histocompatibility; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D016572:Cyclosporine