title: Comparable outcome of liver transplantation with histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate vs. University of Wisconsin preservation solution: a retrospective observational double-center trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The question of whether the choice of preservation solution affects outcome after liver transplantation is still not satisfactorily answered. The purpose of this study is to examine the preservation solutions' impact on outcome after liver transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-center retrospective study of short- and long-term results of 3134 consecutive liver transplantations with follow-up periods up to 23 years was performed applying multivariate, risk-adjusted analyses with a subset for living-donor transplants, pediatric transplants and cases with prolonged cold ischemic times. An additional focus was put on biliary complications. The primary study endpoints were short- and long-term patient survival and death-censored graft survival. Secondary study endpoints were the occurrence of post-transplant complications, the necessity of operative revisions, the length of hospital stay, and the length of intensive care unit stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although long-term graft survival appears to be increased by Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate-use (p = 0.018), this effect could not be confirmed in risk-adjusted analysis (p = 0.641). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that 3-month mortality (p = 0.120), 3-month graft survival (p = 0.103) and long-term patient survival (p = 0.235) were not influenced by the choice of preservation solution. There was no difference in the occurrence of common complications or necessity of operative revisions after liver transplantation. This was confirmed in subgroup analyses for living donor and pediatric transplantation and cases with prolonged cold ischemic time. Analysis of the preservation solutions' impact on length of hospital (p = 0.113) and intensive care unit stay (p = 0.481) revealed no significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  University of Wisconsin and Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate solutions are clinically equivalent. Histidine-Tryptophan-Ketoglutarate solution could have an economically superior profile. The notion that the choice of preservation solution can have an impact on the onset of biliary complications after liver transplantation remains a matter of controversy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str, 1, Hannover 30625, Germany. alexander.kaltenborn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaltenborn
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gwiasda
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Amelung
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krauth
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lehner
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klempnauer
authors.forename: Benedikt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reichert
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schrem
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D050377:Cold Ischemia; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005978:Glutathione / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008099:Liver; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008353:Mannitol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009926:Organ Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011343:Procaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011887:Raffinose / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C039984:Bretschneider cardioplegic solution; D007328:Insulin; D019188:Organ Preservation Solutions; C055206:University of Wisconsin-lactobionate solution; D008353:Mannitol; D011343:Procaine; D000493:Allopurinol; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D005978:Glutathione; D005947:Glucose; D000241:Adenosine; D011887:Raffinose