Effect of post-operative goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) on organ function after orthotopic liver transplantation: Secondary outcome analysis of the COLT randomised control trial

Fluid balance dynamics and early postoperative outcomes in orthotopic liver transplantation: a prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

This study evaluates the impact of Fluid Balance (FB) patterns on outcomes after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation (OLT). It hypothesizes that deviations from optimal FB increase morbidity.

METHODS

In a single-center cohort post hoc analysis of 73 post-OLT patients, FB was categorized into three groups based on cumulative FB at 72 hours: Lowest (negative FB), Intermediate (0-2000 mL), and Highest (> 2000 mL). We analyzed Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, mortality rates, and causes of death. Logistic regression identified mortality predictors.

RESULTS

The Highest FB group had the highest SOFA scores and mortality (Group "Lo": 18.2%, Group "In": 8.6%, Group "Hi": 40.5%, p = 0.009). A U-shaped relationship between FB and hospital mortality was observed, with extremes of FB associated with higher mortality. Cumulative FB independently predicted all-cause mortality with a 29.5% increase in the risk of death. FB on day 3 also predicted all-cause mortality, increasing the risk by 83.9%. Furthermore, FB on day 1 was linked to a 134.5% increase in the risk of death due to primary non-function of the liver. SOFALIVER score strongly predicted all-cause mortality, with a one-point increase associated with a 98.8% to 114.7% increase in mortality risk.

DISCUSSION

These findings suggest that both negative and positive extremes of FB are associated with worse outcomes after OLT, reinforcing the U-shaped relationship between FB and mortality. Our results underscore the importance of balanced fluid management, particularly in the early postoperative period. The study highlights the need for individualized FB strategies to optimize organ function and reduce mortality. The use of SOFALIVER scores as a predictor of mortality further emphasizes the importance of liver function monitoring in post-OLT patients. However, the single-centre design and convenience sample limit the generalizability of our findings, necessitating validation through multicenter studies.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides valuable insights into the relationship between FB patterns and mortality in OLT patients. Both negative and positive extremes of FB are associated with higher mortality, suggesting the need for a balanced and individualized fluid management approach. The strong predictive value of SOFALIVER scores for all-cause mortality highlights the importance of early and continuous monitoring of liver function. Future multicenter randomized controlled trials are needed to validate these findings and develop optimized fluid management protocols for OLT patients.

The Effects of sodium bicarbonate Ringer’s solution on acute kidney injury and the clinical outcomes after liver transplantation: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute kidney injury is the most common complication after liver transplantation. Sodium bicarbonate Ringer’s solution is a new type of crystalloid solution that has been recently used in the clinical setting. Whether sodium bicarbonate Ringer’s solution reduces the occurrence of postoperative AKI and improves the clinical outcomes of liver transplantation patients is not clear.

Objective: To compare the effects of sodium bicarbonate Ringer’s solution versus normal saline on acute kidney injury and clinical outcomes following classic orthotopic liver transplantation.

Methods: Sixty-four participants were randomly assigned to the sodium bicarbonate Ringers (BRS) group or the normal saline (NS) group. The primary outcomes were the incidence and severity of acute kidney injury after liver transplantation. The secondary outcomes included the rate of renal replacement therapy, length of mechanical ventilation, stay in the ICU, stay in the hospital after surgery and 30-day mortality. Other outcomes included the concentration of sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, anion gap, lactate concentration and changes in chloride preoperatively and postoperatively.

Result: Sixty-two patients completed the trial and were analyzed, with 31 patients in each group. There was a significantly lower rate of postoperative acute kidney injury in the BRS group (14/31, 45.2%) than in the NS group (24/31, 77.4%), with a relative risk of 0.58 (95% CI, 0.38–0.90; p = 0.009). The severity of AKI in the BRS group was lower than that in the NS group (Z = -2.932, p = 0.003). There was no significant difference observed in the secondary outcomes. For other outcomes, the concentration of preoperative sodium was lower than postoperative sodium in the NS group (137.2 vs. 140.4, p = 0.009). The concentration of preoperative chloride was lower than that of postoperative chloride in the NS group (102.9 vs. 106.2, p < 0.001). The change in the concentration of chloride in the BRS group was lower than that in the NS group (1.6 vs. 4.7, p = 0.006).

Conclusion: Sodium bicarbonate Ringer’s solution reduced the incidence and severity of acute kidney injury after classic orthotopic liver transplantation.

Effect of goal-directed fluid therapy on renal function in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To evaluate whether goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) reduces the risk of renal injury in critical illness.

Methods

MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL and CBM was searched from inception to 13 March 2022, for studies comparing the effect of GDFT with usual care on renal function in critically ill patients. GDFT was defined as a protocolized intervention based on hemodynamic and/or oxygen delivery parameters. A fixed or random effects model was applied to calculate the pooled odds ratio (OR) based on heterogeneity through the included studies.

Results

A total of 28 studies with 9,019 patients were included. The pooled data showed that compared with usual care, GDFT reduced the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critical illness (OR 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.47 to 0.80, p< 0.001). Sensitivity analysis with only low risk of bias studies showed the same result. Subgroup analyses found that GDFT was associated with a lower AKI incidence in both postoperative and medical patients. The reduction was significant in GDFT aimed at dynamic indicators. However, no significant difference was found between groups in RRT support (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.05, p= 0.17). GDFT tended to increase fluid administration within the first 6 h, decrease fluid administration after 24 h, and was associated with more vasopressor requirements.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggests that GDFT aimed at dynamic indicators may be an effective way to prevent AKI in critical illness. This may indicate a benefit from early adequate fluid resuscitation and the combined effect of vasopressors.