Risk for relapse of alcohol use after liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: a review and proposal of a set of risk assessment criteria.
BACKGROUND
Liver transplantation for end stage alcoholic liver disease is becoming an increasingly frequent procedure. Within this context assessing the risk on relapse in alcohol use is a major issue. However, up to now, there is a clear lack in validated criteria that can be used to assess future relapse risk.


METHODS
Literature review based upon Medline search identifying all new studies that have been published after the latest meta-analysis on this subject (2007-2009).


RESULTS
Five new original studies were identified. They provide new evidence for the prospective validity of different criteria; pretransplant abstinence duration, diagnosis of alcohol dependence versus abuse, level of social support, additional psychiatric co morbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
These criteria seem promising as to the prediction of relapse in alcohol after livertransplantation. Based upon these results a new comprehensive assessment scale is proposed.
Dom
G
G
Department Gastroenterology & Hepatology, University Hospital of Antwerp (UZA), Belgium. geert.dom@skynet.be
Francque
S
S
Michielsen
P
P
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012944:Social Support; D013997:Time Factors