Evolution of Liver Transplantation Program in Shiraz, Iran

The burden of cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease in the middle east and North Africa (MENA) region over three decades

BACKGROUND

Cirrhosis comprises a significant health challenge in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region impacting healthcare systems and communities. This study sought to investigate trends in the burden of cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease, different etiologies, deaths, and the disability burden utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database.

METHODS

Analyzing epidemiological trends from 1990 to 2021 across 21 MENA countries, this research utilized data on age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), age-standardized death rates, and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to evaluate the burden of cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease. The study also examined national variations and sociodemographic relationships.

RESULTS

The study identified a 114.9% increase in cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease incidence within the MENA region between 1990 and 2021, with 7,344,030 incident cases reported in 2021. The ASIR showed a steeper rise in females (9.6%) compared to males (7.0%). Etiology-specific analysis revealed an increase in the ASIR for MASLD related cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease by 22.2%, while those due to alcohol as well as hepatitis B and C decreased by 28.1%, 59.3%, and 30%, respectively. Despite the rising incidence, overall age-standardized death rates across all etiologies decreased by 54.3%, with DALYs showing a 51.4% decrease during the same period. Country-specific trends varied significantly, with Oman recording the highest annual ASIR increase (0.64%), and Qatar observing the most substantial annual reduction in age-standardized death rates (-2.88%).

CONCLUSION

The study highlights evolving trends in cirrhosis and other chronic liver disease within the MENA region, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive, etiology, and gender-specific interventions. Despite an increasing incidence, the observed improvements in mortality rates and age-standardized disability burden indicate progress in public health efforts to mitigate cirrhosis's impact. These findings point to the complex nature of cirrhosis outcomes and the urgent need for tailored strategies to manage its increasing burden effectively.

Post-Liver Transplant Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Reactivation, Graft, and Patient Survival Rates in Iranian Population

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the major complication of viral infection in immunocompromised patients. This opportunistic infection is associated with high morbidity and mortality in transplanted recipients. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine CMV burden and assess the clinical outcome in the liver recipients with CMV reactivated infection at Nemazi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Methods: This retrospective study examined 657 patients who underwent liver transplantation during 2014 - 2017 to identify the CMV infection, morbidity, and mortality rates. To this end, the medical records of such patients were reviewed, and their rejection/survival rates were analyzed. Accordingly, the CMV infection was diagnosed by Taq-Man real-time PCR assays. Results: In this study, 151 (23%) had CMV reactivation at least one year after liver transplantation. Viremic patients had a viral burden between 300 - 738790 copies/mL. In this study, 41 persons (6.2%) died, and 58 liver transplant patients (8.8%) had rejection experience up to one year after their operation. Among the 41 dead patients, 21 and 20 cases were with and without CMV-reactivation, respectively. The results demonstrated that the mortality rate was significantly higher in the CMV-infected patients than the non-CMV-infected counterparts. In contrast, the graft survival rate was not significantly different between the two groups (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: In the present study, CMV infection can serve as a significant mortality predictor in LT patients.

Post liver transplant complications of Budd-Chiari syndrome

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare, life-threatening disease characterized by hepatic venous outflow obstruction. Liver transplantation (LT) is widely accepted as an effective therapeutic measure for irreversible liver failure due to BCS. There is debate on differences in the post LT course and complications in patients with BCS as compared to non-Budd-Chiari (NBC) patients.

METHOD

In this retrospective study, data on all patients who received a liver transplant for BCS at the Shiraz Organ Transplantation Center between January 1996 and September 2017 were reviewed and compared to data of a control group who had received liver transplants over the same period but due to other causes (NBC).

RESULTS

Out of 4225 patients who received liver transplants in the study period, 108 had BCS and an age- and gender-matched control group consisted of 108 NBC cases. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were 19.1 ± 3 and 20 ± 3 for BCS and NBC groups, respectively (p = 0.33). One-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates in the BCS group were as follows: 82%, 78%, 76%, and 76% compared with the NBC rates of 83%, 83%, 83%, and 76%, respectively (p = 0.556). There was no difference between the two groups in complication rates after 6 months. In the later period, vascular thrombosis was more common in BCS.

CONCLUSIONS

Whole-organ LT from deceased donors in patients with BCS had comparable outcomes with LT due to other causes of end-stage liver disease. In most instances, these patients should receive lifelong anticoagulation.

Clinical Course and Outcome of Liver Transplantation in Patients with Hepatitis C in Iran

Background: Hepatitis C is one of the most common causes of end-stage liver disease and liver transplant worldwide. In recent years, with the rapid advances in the treatment of hepatitis C by direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs), the clinical course of the disease as well as liver transplantation have had significant improvement. Also, DAAs have completely replaced interferon-based regimens in the treatment and prevention of HCV recurrence after liver transplant. Objectives: This is the first study that aimed to investigate the clinical course of liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis C in Iran. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on patients with HCV liver transplantation within five years (2012 - 2017) with the age range of 18 to 65 years at Shiraz Organ Transplant Center. All demographic and clinical data were recorded. Pre-transplant viral load, disease recurrence, graft rejection, and mortality rate were the most important indices in this study. Results: Among 55 transplant patients, 49% had received hepatitis C treatment before liver transplantation and interferon-based regimens were more prevalent. Besides, HCV genotype 3, followed by genotype 1, was the most prevalent one. A liver biopsy was performed in patients with elevated liver enzyme levels. The numbers of patients with HCV recurrence at 2, 6, 12, and 24-month intervals were three, two, zero, and two patients, respectively. At these time intervals, eight, eight, one, and three cases of acute graft rejection were found, respectively. Eight patients died with a one-year survival rate of 85%. Sepsis and infectious complications were the most leading causes of death. Conclusions: This study is the first study of liver transplant patients with hepatitis C in Iran. In the five-year study period, rapid development was made in the treatment of HCV patients. It led to the introduction of DAAs, which replaced interferon-based therapies. The results of this study indicated the high success rate of liver transplantation in patients with hepatitis C in Iran. The results of this study could be used to compare the efficacy of DAAs in future research.

Mortality and Its Determinants in Adult Patients with End-stage Liver Disease on Waiting List for Liver Transplantation: A Preliminary Report on Baseline Data

Background: Prevention of death in patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation (LT) is a major concern to prioritize organ allocation. Since the model for the end-stage liver disease (MELD) and its modifications have many shortages, there is a need for further refinement of the allocation strategy. Objectives: The current study aimed at assessing the predictors of mortality in LT candidates in a more comprehensive manner with the possible implications to improve the care of such patients and assist in developing better strategies for organ allocation. Methods: In the current cohort study, 544 adult LT candidates with end-stage liver disease were followed up for a mean of 12 months in three-month intervals. Data analysis was performed in Nutritionist, SPSS, and R software, using Kaplan-Meier, Cox proportional hazard (HRC), and LASSO Cox regression hazard (HRL) tests. Results: The mean age of the patients was 46.7 ± 13.7 years; the majority were male (n = 336, 61.7%). At the end of the study, 414 (76.1%) subjects were still alive and 130 (23.9%) dead. The cumulative percentages of death were 33.1%, 57.7%, and 79.2% after 3, 6, and 12 months of waiting for a donor, respectively. Although there was a strong association between having hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) (HRC = 4.7, HRL = 1.8), a history of myocardial infarction (MI) (HRC = 3.3, HRL = 1.6), low-carbohydrate (CHO) diet (HRC = 2.7, HRL = 1.5), and mortality, it was weak for MELD score. Moreover, a serum level of CA 125, high polymorphonuclear (PMN) count, weight loss, a high level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), positive hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers, high mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of red blood cells, ascites, and edema of gallbladder wall had association with mortality in LT patients. Conclusions: In addition to MELD score, HPS, a history of MI, low CHO intake, weight loss, ascites, PMN, CA 125, ALT, hepatitis B surface antigen, MCV, blood urea nitrogen, and gallbladder wall thickness are predictors of mortality in LT candidates and need to be considered in the LT allocation system.

Immunoglobulin G Immunity to Hepatitis A Virus in Liver Transplant Candidates: A Serosurvey from Iran

Background: Becoming infected with hepatitis A virus (HAV) is deadlier in patients with end-stage liver disease. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of chronic immunity to HAV in liver transplant (LT) candidates to determine whether HAV vaccination is necessary for them or not. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on adult LT candidates who were referred to the LT center of Shiraz, Iran. The patients were interviewed for filling the data collection forms. These forms consisted of demographic information, medical backgrounds, etiology of chronic liver disease, a model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, laboratory findings, and abdominal sonography report. Furthermore, a 3-cc blood sample was obtained from each patient, and anti-HAV IgG was detected by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using standard Diapro kits. Univariable and multivariable data analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered the significant cutoff in regression analysis. Results: A total of 291 patients with a mean age of 47.73 ± 12.9 years were recruited in this study of whom, 197 (67.7%) patients were males, 237 (81.4%) were married, 229 (78.7%) were educated lower than 12 years, 250 (85.9%) were living in urban areas, and (221) 75.9% had access to sanitary water in their living area. anti-HAV IgG was detected in 269 (92.4%, 95% CI: 89.4 - 95.4%) patients. Multivariable analysis showed that lower knowledge of hepatitis A transmission routes (OR: 11.9, 95% CI: 1.39 - 101.8, P = 0.024), no waterpipe smoking (OR: 9.5, 95% CI: 1.6 - 55.5, P = 0.014), and older age (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1 - 1.24, P = 0.03) were the main predictors of HAV immunity, in sequence. Conclusions: Most LT candidates are HAV IgG positive, but due to the growing number of LT candidates and high mortality of HAV in non-immune cases, LT candidates should be checked for HAV IgG, especially younger or waterpipe smoking patients who are less immune. Also, all non-immune patients should be vaccinated against HAV, if possible.

Outcome of Liver Transplant Patients With Intraoperative-Detected Portal Vein Thrombosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Shiraz, Iran

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine outcomes and predictors of intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis in liver transplant recipients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 806 adult liver transplant recipients from Shiraz, Iran, to determine those with intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis. Patients with this complication were compared with age- and sex-matched patients without this complication. Background diseases, surgery parameters, hospital admission, reoperation, rethrombosis, acute rejection, and use of antico-agulants were assessed. Cox proportional hazards, logistic regression, and random classification forest and random survival forest plots were used for data analyses.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 44.7 ± 13.2 years. Patients with intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis (n = 91; 11.3%) had mortality ratio of 2.9 (range, 1.0-8.6) and 2-year survival of 78% versus 2-year survival rate of 92% in patients without this disease. Median time of survival in patients with this complication who died was 2 weeks versus 10 months in patients who died and did not have this complication. Random classification forest plots showed that high fasting blood sugar, autoimmune hepatitis, low prothrombin time, and cryptogenic cirrhosis were (in order) the main predictors of this complication. Random survival forest plots revealed that low prothrombin time, having intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis, Model for End Stage Liver Disease score, primary sclerosing cholangitis, diabetes mellitus, and hepatocellular carcinoma were (in order) the main predictors of death in liver transplant recipients. Low body mass index was associated with mortality in patients with intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis (by Cox proportional hazards).

CONCLUSIONS

One of every 9 liver transplant patients had intraoperative-detected portal vein thrombosis. Hazard of death was 2.9, and death occurred far earlier in patients with this complication. Improvements in diabetes mellitus care, prothrombin time, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and body mass index may improve outcomes of these patients.

Post Liver Transplantation Survival and Related Prognostic Factors among Adult Recipients in Tehran Liver Transplant Center; 2002-2019

BACKGROUND

Liver transplantation is a standard treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). However, with increasing demand for this treatment and limited resources, it is available only to patients who are more likely to survive. The primary aim was to determine prognostic factors for survival.

METHODS

We collected data from 597 adult patients with ESLD, who received a single organ and initial orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in our center between 20 March 2008 and 20 March 2018. In this historical cohort study, univariate and multiple Cox model were used to determine prognostic factors of survival after transplantation.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 825 (0-3889) days, 111 (19%) patients died. Survival rates were 88%, 85%, 82% and 79% at 90 days, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years, respectively. Older patients (HR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.01-1.59), presence of pre-OLT ascites (HR = 2.03; 95% CI: 1.16-3.57), pre-OLT hospitalization (HR = 1.88; 95% CI:1.02-3.46), longer operative time (HR = 1.006; 95% CI: 1.004-1.008), post-OLT dialysis (HR = 3.51; 95% CI: 2.07-5.94), cancer (HR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.23-5.89) and AID (HR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.17-3.56) as underlying disease versus hepatitis, and higher pre-OLT creatinine (HR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.10-2.52) were associated with decreased survival.

CONCLUSION

In this center, not only are survival outcomes excellent, but also younger patients, cases with better pre-operative health conditions, and those without complications after OLT have superior survival.

Allocation of liver grafts worldwide - Is there a best system?

BACKGROUND & AIMS

An optimal allocation system for scarce resources should simultaneously ensure maximal utility, but also equity. The most frequent principles for allocation policies in liver transplantation are therefore criteria that rely on pre-transplant survival (sickest first policy), post-transplant survival (utility), or on their combination (benefit). However, large differences exist between centers and countries for ethical and legislative reasons. The aim of this study was to report the current worldwide practice of liver graft allocation and discuss respective advantages and disadvantages.

METHODS

Countries around the world that perform 95 or more deceased donor liver transplantations per year were analyzed for donation and allocation policies, as well as recipient characteristics.

RESULTS

Most countries use the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, or variations of it, for organ allocation, while some countries opt for center-based allocation systems based on their specific requirements, and some countries combine both a MELD and center-based approach. Both the MELD and center-specific allocation systems have inherent limitations. For example, most countries or allocation systems address the limitations of the MELD system by adding extra points to recipient's laboratory scores based on clinical information. It is also clear from this study that cancer, as an indication for liver transplantation, requires special attention.

CONCLUSION

The sickest first policy is the most reasonable basis for the allocation of liver grafts. While MELD is currently the standard for this model, many adjustments were implemented in most countries. A future globally applicable strategy should combine donor and recipient factors, predicting probability of death on the waiting list, post-transplant survival and morbidity, and perhaps costs.

LAY SUMMARY

An optimal allocation system for scarce resources should simultaneously ensure maximal utility, but also equity. While the model for end-stage liver disease is currently the standard for this model, many adjustments were implemented in most countries. A future globally applicable strategy should combine donor and recipient factors predicting probability of death on the waiting list, post-transplant survival and morbidity, and perhaps costs.

Challenging issues in the management of Wilson's disease

Wilsons' disease is a common metabolic disease. There are challenges in its management, including the diagnosis of acute liver failure and post-transplantation course which needed more consideration despite the well written mini review which was recently published in this prestigious journal.