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This retrospective study was conducted to examine the development and current status of pediatric liver transplantation (LT) in western China. Clinical, demographic, morbidity, and mortality data were collected to analyze. It included 260 consecutive pediatric LTs performed at three centers in western China between January 2000 and May 2019. Kaplan-Meier graft survival rates at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years were 82.1%, 77.2%, 76.6%, and 76.6%, respectively; corresponding patient survival rates were 84.7%, 80.7%, 80.0%, and 80.0%, respectively. More patients underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT; n = 188 (73.4%)) than deceased-donor liver transplantation (DDLT; n = 68 (26.6%)). Survival was better after LDLT (91.5%, 86.6%, and 80.6% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively) than after DDLT (80.9%, 72.4%, and 63.9%, respectively; P < .05). Biliary atresia was the leading LT indication (n = 141 (55.1%)), followed by metabolic disease (n = 36 (14.1%)), which was associated with the best recipient survival (88.5% at 5 years). The transplant era and graft-to-recipient body weight ratio (GRWR) also significantly predicted overall survival. Survival rates at 5 years were worst in 2000-2005 (54.5%) and best for GRWRs of 0.8%-4% (80.4%). The development of pediatric LT in western China began slowly, but the quantity and quality of pediatric LT has progressed in recent years. This procedure is now a promising and reliable treatment for children with end-stage liver disease in western China., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Liver transplantation can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in recipients, but the risk factors associated with PTSD in living donors are unknown. To investigate this progression in pediatric living donors, a cross-sectional investigation was carried out.All participants completed 2 questionnaires: a PTSD self-rating scale (PTSD-SS) and a validated Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). Clinical and demographic data were collected from medical records and self-report questionnaires. Univariate analysis was conducted to identify statistical differences.The prevalence of full PTSD (all symptom clusters) and partial PTSD (2 out of 3 symptom clusters) was 12.1% and 31.1%, respectively. Those with an educational status of elementary school (P = .001), who were donors to their children (P = .008), who were in the first 6 months after transplant (P < .001), or were involved in transplants where the recipients had severe complications (P = .02) were more likely to have higher PTSD-SS scores than other groups. The non-PTSD group had a higher health-related quality-of-life score compared with the full and partial PTSD groups in the domains of physical function, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health. In addition, the occurrence of PTSD was related to a poorer quality of life.The occurrence of PTSD was common in living donors after pediatric liver transplantation. Those with a lower educational status, who were donors to their children, were in the first 6 months after transplant, or were involved in transplants where the recipients had severe complications were most likely to experience PTSD. Post-traumatic stress symptom severity was significantly associated with a poorer quality of life after transplant.

Aim: To evaluate the outcomes of patients with end-stage biliary disease (ESBD) who underwent liver transplantation, to define the concept of ESBD, the criteria for patient selection and the optimal operation for decision-making., Methods: Between June 2002 and June 2014, 43 patients with ESBD from two Chinese organ transplantation centres were evaluated for liver transplantation. The causes of liver disease were primary biliary cirrhosis (n = 8), cholelithiasis (n = 8), congenital biliary atresia (n = 2), graft-related cholangiopathy (n = 18), Caroli's disease (n = 2), iatrogenic bile duct injury (n = 2), primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 1), intrahepatic bile duct paucity (n = 1) and Alagille's syndrome (n = 1). The patients with ESBD were compared with an end-stage liver disease (ESLD) case control group during the same period, and the potential prognostic values of multiple demographic and clinical variables were assessed. The examined variables included recipient age, sex, pre-transplant clinical status, pre-transplant laboratory values, operation condition and postoperative complications, as well as patient and allograft survival rates. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves, and the rates were compared using log-rank tests. All variables identified by univariate analysis with P values < 0.100 were subjected to multivariate analysis. A Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to determine the effect of the study variables on outcomes in the study group., Results: Patients in the ESBD group had lower model for end-stage liver disease (MELD)/paediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD) scores and a higher frequency of previous abdominal surgery compared to patients in the ESLD group (19.2 ± 6.6 vs 22.0 ± 6.5, P = 0.023 and 1.8 ± 1.3 vs 0.1 ± 0.2, P = 0.000). Moreover, the operation time and the time spent in intensive care were significantly higher in the ESBD group than in the ESLD group (527.4 ± 98.8 vs 443.0 ± 101.0, P = 0.000, and 12.74 ± 6.6 vs 10.0 ± 7.5, P = 0.000). The patient survival rate in the ESBD group was not significantly different from that of the ESBD group at 1, 3 and 5 years (ESBD: 90.7%, 88.4%, 79.4% vs ESLD: 84.9%, 80.92%, 79.0%, χ(2) = 0.194, P = 0.660). The graft-survival rates were also similar between the two groups at 1, 3 and 5 years (ESBD: 90.7%, 85.2%, 72.7% vs ESLD: 84.9%, 81.0%, 77.5%, χ(2) = 0.003, P = 0.958). Univariate analysis identified MELD/PELD score (HR = 1.213, 95%CI: 1.081-1.362, P = 0.001) and bleeding volume (HR = 0.103, 95%CI: 0.020-0.538, P = 0.007) as significant factors affecting the outcomes of patients in the ESBD group. However, multivariate analysis revealed that MELD/PELD score (HR = 1.132, 95%CI: 1.005-1.275, P = 0.041) was the only negative factor that was associated with short survival time., Conclusion: MELD/PELD criteria do not adequately measure the clinical characteristics and staging of ESBD. The allocation system based on MELD/PELD criteria should be re-evaluated for patients with ESBD.