Antiphospholipid antibodies before and after liver transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether liver transplantation of patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) is 1) adversely affected with vascular thrombosis and 2) whether such antibodies persist post transplantation.


METHODS
Twelve patients with APA awaiting transplant were identified and characterized biochemically and immunologically. Each had the level of APA determined using commercially available enzyme-linked immunoassay kits before, during, and after liver transplantation.


RESULTS
No patient in this series experienced a transplant-related vascular thrombosis. The titer of APA fell to levels at or below those present in normals and remained low in two of 12 or undetectable in 10 of 12 patients 1 yr after liver transplantation.


CONCLUSIONS
We reached the following conclusions: 1) Antiphospholipid positivity does not identify patients at high risk for post-transplant vascular thrombosis. 2) The levels of antiphospholipid present in sera pretransplant fell during transplantation and remained low or undetectable 1 month and 1 yr post transplantation.
Van Thiel
David H
DH
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois, USA.
George
Magdalena
M
Brems
John
J
Holt
David
D
Zhu
Qianlong
Q
Edelstein
Steven
S
Amiral
Jean
J
Tarasuk
George
G
Leone
Nancy
N
D000368:Aged; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000276:immunology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000276:immunology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000276:immunology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D010978:Platelet Factor 4