title: Transplantation of Deceased Donor Livers With Elevated Levels of Serum Transaminases at Shiraz Transplant Center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The current organ shortage has prompted the use of marginal organs. We conducted this retrospective study to present our experience with transplanting deceased donor livers with elevated levels of serum transaminases and to explain whether elevated levels of serum transaminases in donors affect allograft function and survival of the recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of deceased donor livers and patients, who underwent liver transplantation from March 2013 to March 2015 at Shiraz center for organ transplantation, was reviewed. Liver donors with aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and/or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level of more than 500 IU/l and their related recipients were considered as the case group (n = 24) and the others were considered as the control group (n = 834).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the case group, the medians of levels of serum AST and ALT of donors were 834 ± 425 IU/L (range: 250 - 2285) and 507 ± 367 IU/L (range: 100 - 1600), respectively. Recipients were followed for a median of 13.6 ± 9 months (range: 7 - 28.4). Post-transplant complications were acute rejection (n = 5), infection (n = 3), portal vein thrombosis (n = 3), bile duct stricture (n = 1), and hepatic artery stenosis (n = 1). The one-year survival rate of the patients was 91.7%. Demographics, post-transplant complications and one-year survival rates were not significantly different between the two study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transplanting deceased donor livers with markedly elevated liver enzymes may be an acceptable choice for expanding the donor pool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shiraz Center for Organ Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Nasir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fakhar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shiraz Center for Organ Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nikeghbalian
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shiraz Center for Organ Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Kourosh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shiraz Center for Organ Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shamsayeefar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shiraz Center for Organ Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Siavash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gholami
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasraianfard
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Shiraz Center for Organ Transplantation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Seyed Ali
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Malek-Hosseini
keywords: Extended-Criteria Donor; Liver Transplantation; Organ Shortage; Serum Transaminases