title: Factors prognostic of survival in patients awaiting liver transplantation for end-stage liver disease.
abstract: In this study, we investigated possible independent predictive factors for survival, other than MELD score, in patients with cirrhosis. We reviewed the serum sodium, cholesterol, albumin, and platelet levels of 99 patients with cirrhosis and investigated the possible correlation of these parameters with survival period. We found that 77% and 81% of patients with cirrhosis were hypocholesterolemic and hypoalbuminemic, respectively. We noted that the survival time of 6 months in patients with serum sodium levels <125 mM at the time of admission to the study was 27% less than that in patients with sodium levels >130 mM. Patients with cirrhosis and serum sodium levels >130 mM survived for more than 1 year (95% CI). MELD scores of patients with serum sodium levels >130, between 125 and 129, and <125 mM were 15.8 to 19.9, 19.7 to 23.6, and 23.3 to 27.2, respectively (95% CI). In conclusion, we suggest that although all of these parameters are correlated with survival in patients with cirrhosis, the serum sodium level is the most accurate prognostic factor and a valid tool for predicting survival when considered in combination with the MELD score.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Baskent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Haldun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Selcuk
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uruc
authors.forename: Mehtap Akcil
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Temel
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ocal
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huddam
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanbay
authors.forename: Nurten
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Savas
authors.forename: Gurden
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gur
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haberal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014850:Waiting Lists
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012964:Sodium