Liver transplantation for end-stage alcoholic liver disease: a single-center experience from mainland China.
There has been a gradual increase in the number of patients with end-stage alcoholic liver disease (ALD) undergoing liver transplantation (LT) in mainland China. However, few studies have focused on the post-transplant outcomes of this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of LT in patients with ALD, mainly focusing on survival rates, complications, and alcohol recidivism. The results were retrospectively analyzed from 20 patients, who underwent LT for ALD from December 2003 to September 2007 at Liver Transplant Center of Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of the ALD group and non-ALD group were 90.0, 80.0, 80.0% and 90.3, 84.7, 79.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference in 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates between these two groups (P=.909). No significant difference was observed in complications such as pulmonary infection (50.0 vs. 31.9%, P=.137), biliary complications (15.0 vs. 27.4%, P=.297), hepatic arterial complications (10.0 vs. 6.9%, P=.641), and rejection (15.0 vs. 8.1%, P=.394) after LT between the ALD group and non-ALD group. There was only one person who resumed mild, intermittent drinking after LT. End-stage ALD is a good indication for LT, with similar results in non-ALD patients. The major cause of death in ALD patients after LT was infectious complications. More attention is needed for the prophylaxis of infectious complications after LT.
Chen
Gui-hua
GH
Liver Transplant Center, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Transplantation Research Institute of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. chenguihua.3@163.com
Yang
Yang
Y
Lu
Min-qiang
MQ
Cai
Chang-jie
CJ
Zhang
Qi
Q
Zhang
Ying-cai
YC
Xu
Chi
C
Li
Hua
H
Wang
Gen-shu
GS
Yi
Shu-hong
SH
Zhang
Jian
J
Zhang
Jun-feng
JF
Yi
Hui-min
HM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D015897:Comorbidity; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome