title: Persistent thrombocytopenia in liver transplant patients.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Singapore Liver Transplant Program, National University Hospital (NUH), Singapore. dedess@nuh.com.sg
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Sutedja
authors.forename: C-T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Wai
authors.forename: K-F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Teoh
authors.forename: H-L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: DaCosta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.forename: Y-M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K-H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.forename: S-H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Quak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Isaac
authors.forename: S-G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prabhakaran
mesh_terms: 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