Persistent thrombocytopenia in liver transplant patients.
BACKGROUND
The occurrence of thrombocytopenia in the perioperative period after a liver transplant is not uncommon. However, there are few studies on persistent thrombocytopenia during the longer follow up period of patients after liver transplantation. We examined the prevalence of and contributing factors to persistent thrombocytopenia beyond 1 year post-liver transplantation.


METHODS
We analyzed adult patients followed for at least 1 year posttransplant with full blood counts and abdominal scans, as well as clinical notes.


RESULTS
The 35 patients of mean age at transplant of 50 years and showed a mean follow-up of about 4 years showed a prevalence of persistent thrombocytopenia at 12 months of 54% and at 3 years of 25%. Factors that were associated with persistent thrombocytopenia were pretransplant variceal bleeding, splenomegaly, and thrombocytopenia at 3 and 6 months posttransplant. After multivariate analysis only the latter represented independent factors for persistent thrombocytopenia at 1 and 3 years posttransplant, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Persistent thrombocytopenia improved over time posttransplant; no bleeding problem was observed among the affected cases.
Sutedja
D S
DS
Singapore Liver Transplant Program, National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore. dedess@nuh.com.sg
Wai
C-T
CT
Teoh
K-F
KF
Lee
H-L
HL
DaCosta
M
M
Kaur
M
M
Lee
Y-M
YM
Lee
K-H
KH
Mak
K
K
Quak
S-H
SH
Isaac
J
J
Lim
S-G
SG
Prabhakaran
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors