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The need for liver transplantation (LT) among older patients is increasing, but the role of LT in the elderly (≥70 years) is not well defined. We retrospectively reviewed all primary LTs from 1998 through 2016 at our center. Survival and associated risk factors were analyzed with Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier methods for LT recipients in 3 age groups: <60, 60-69, and ≥70 years. Among 2281 LT recipients, the median age was 56 years (range, 15-80 years), and 162 were aged ≥70 years. The estimated 5- and 10-year patient survival probabilities for elderly LT recipients were lower (70.8% and 43.6%) than for recipients aged 60-69 years (77.2% and 64.6%) and <60 years (80.7% and 67.6%). Patient and graft survival rates associated with LT improved over time from the pre-Model for End-Stage Liver Disease era to Share 15, pre-Share 35, and Share 35 for the cohort overall (P < 0.001), but rates remained relatively stable in septuagenarians throughout the study periods (all P > 0.45). There was no incremental negative effect of age at LT among elderly patients aged 70-75 years (log-rank P = 0.32). Among elderly LT recipients, greater requirement for packed red blood cells and longer warm ischemia times were significantly associated with decreased survival (P < 0.05). Survival of LT recipients, regardless of age, markedly surpassed that of patients who were denied LT, but it was persistently 20%-30% lower than the expected survival of the general US population (P < 0.001). With the aging of the population, select older patients with end-stage liver diseases can benefit from LT, which largely restores their expected life spans., (Copyright © 2019 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Background: The term early allograft dysfunction (EAD) identifies liver transplant (LT) allografts with initial poor function and portends poor allograft and patient survival. Aims of this study are to use EAD as an intermediate outcome measure in a large single center cohort and identify donor, recipient and peri-operative risk factors., Material and Methods: In 1950 consecutive primary LT, donor, recipient and peri-operative data were collected. EAD was defined by the presence of one or more of the following: total bilirubin ≥ 10 mg/dL (171 μmol/L) or, INR ≥ 1.6 on day 7, and ALT/AST > 2,000 IU/L within the first 7 days., Results: The incidence of EAD was 26.5%. 1-, 3-, and 5-year allograft and patient survival for patients who developed EAD were significantly inferior to those who did not (P < 0.01 at all time points). Multivariate analysis demonstrated associations in the development of EAD with recipient pre-operative ventilator status, donation after cardiac death allografts, donor age, allograft size, degree of steatosis, operative time and intra-operative transfusion requirements (all P < 0.01). Patients with EAD had a significantly longer hospitalization at 20.9 ± 38.9 days (median: 9; range: 4-446) compared with 10.7 ± 13.5 days (median: 7; range: 3-231) in patients with no EAD (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: This is the largest single center experience demonstrating incidence of EAD and identifying factors associated with development of EAD. EAD is a useful intermediate outcome measure for allograft and patient survival. Balancing recipient pretransplant conditions, donor risk factors and intra-operative conditions are necessary for avoiding EAD.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) after liver transplantation (LT) are associated with an increased risk of graft loss and death. The incidence of SSIs after LT and their risk factors have been determined for first LT but not for second LT. The importance of reporting the incidence of SSIs risk-stratified by first LT versus second LT is not known. All patients undergoing second LT at a single institution between 2003 and 2011 (n = 152) were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the cumulative SSI incidence. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate associations of potential risk factors with SSIs after second LT. Thirty-one patients developed SSIs (6 superficial SSIs, 1 deep SSI, and 24 organ/space SSIs). The cumulative incidence of SSIs 30 days after LT was 20.8% (95% CI = 14%-27%), which was slightly but not significantly higher than the previously reported incidence of SSIs after first LT at our institution between 2003 and 2008 (16%, RR = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.90-1.93, P = .16). Units of transfused red blood cells [RR (doubling) = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.02-1.86, P = .04] and hepaticojejunostomy (RR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.05-4.72, P = .04) were the only factors associated with SSIs after second LT in single-variable analysis. The associations weakened in a multivariate analysis (P = .07 and P = .07, respectively), potentially because of the correlation of red blood cell transfusions and hepaticojejunostomy (P = .08). In conclusion, the incidence of SSIs after second LT was slightly higher but not significantly different than the published incidence of SSIs (16%) after first LT at the same institution. Significant independent risk factors for SSIs after second LT were not identified. Risk stratification for retransplantation may not be necessary when the incidence of SSIs after LT is being reported., (© 2014 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease are associated with increased risk of graft loss and death in high-risk (donor CMV seropositive/recipient CMV seronegative) liver transplant recipients (LTR) despite effective antiviral chemoprophylaxis. Predictors of CMV infection and disease in this important population are incompletely defined., Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 227 high-risk first LTR who received primary anti-CMV chemoprophylaxis during the first 100 days after transplant was performed. A large number of patient, donor, operative, and post-transplant potential risk factors were collected. Associations of potential risk factors for CMV infection or disease that occurred during the first year after transplant were assessed using Cox regression models. After Bonferroni adjustment for multiple testing, P-values ≤0.00125 (associations with CMV infection) and ≤0.00122 (associations with CMV disease) were considered as statistically significant., Results: CMV infection and disease occurred in 91 (40%) and 43 (19%) of LTR, respectively. In multivariable analysis, increased risk of CMV infection was observed for patients with lower model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (P = 0.025), lower total bilirubin (P = 0.014), and longer operative time (P = 0.038), whereas increased risk of CMV disease was seen in patients with lower MELD score (P = 0.026), lower total bilirubin (P = 0.044), and lower international normalized ratio (P = 0.043). However, after adjustment for multiple testing, none of these findings approached statistical significance., Conclusion: Our results suggest that interventions designed to prevent CMV infection and disease should be applied to all high-risk LTR until more definitive predictors of these complications are identified., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been inconsistently associated with recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) after liver transplant (LT)., Methods: A retrospective study of 347, donor or recipient CMV seropositive, first LT recipients transplanted for HCV was performed to evaluate the associations of CMV infection and disease occurring within 1-year of LT with the primary endpoints of allograft inflammation grade ≥2 and fibrosis stage ≥2. Associations were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression models., Results: CMV infection and disease occurred in 111 (32%) and 24 (7%) patients, respectively. Hepatic allograft inflammation grade ≥2 and fibrosis stage ≥2 occurred in 221 (64%) and 140 (40%) patients, respectively. CMV infection was associated with increased risk of fibrosis stage ≥2 (relative risk [RR], 1.52; P=0.033). CMV disease was associated with increased risk of inflammation grade ≥2 (RR, 3.40; P<0.001), and although not significant, with fibrosis stage ≥2 (RR, 2.03; P=0.052). These associations did not differ significantly according to recipient CMV seropositivity., Conclusions: Our results support an association between CMV infection and disease with recurrence of HCV after LT. Investigation of prevention of CMV infection and disease as a strategy to mitigate recurrent HCV in LT recipients is warranted.

Background: Increasing use of glucose meters in hospitals has increased opportunities for infection transmission that have not been quantitatively assessed or managed., Methods: Before-and-after study of the effects of augmentation of glucose meter inventory and of assignment of glucose meters to individual patients on the sequential use of glucose meters on different patients in a 214-bed hospital., Results: During October 2008, 11,665 measurements were performed using 38 glucose meters on 803 patients. A total of 9,302 tests (79.7%) was performed sequentially within 24 hours on different patients. From October 28 through November 27, 2009, the glucose meter inventory on 3 high-use units glucose meters was increased (from 22 to 87) with meters assigned to individual patients; on 4 low-use units, glucose meter inventory was increased (from 16 to 28) without assignment to individual patients. Sequential glucose meter use on different patients within 24 hours decreased by 95.1% on high-use units and increased by 17% on low-use units., Conclusion: Use of glucose meters was associated with a high number of opportunities to transmit infections, and those opportunities were reduced only when glucose meters were assigned to individual patients. Recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration to assign glucose meters to individual persons whenever possible is relevant to inpatient care., (Copyright © 2011 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

In the era of effective antiviral chemoprophylaxis, cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease has been inconsistently associated with increased mortality in liver transplant (LT) recipients. A retrospective study evaluating the association of CMV infection and disease occurring within 1 year of transplant with the endpoints of death or the combined endpoint of graft loss or death was undertaken in a cohort of 227 CMV donor seropositive, recipient seronegative first LT recipients. Associations were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. CMV infection and disease occurred in 91 (40%) and 43 (19%) patients, respectively. Forty-eight (21%) died while 58 (26%) sustained graft loss or death. In multivariable analysis, CMV infection was associated with an increased risk of death (RR: 2.24, p = 0.008) and graft loss or death (RR: 2.85, p < 0.001). CMV disease was also associated with an increased risk of death (RR: 2.73, p = 0.003) and graft loss or death (RR: 3.04, p = 0.001). CMV infection and disease occurring within the first year after LT in high-risk recipients is associated with increased risk of death and of graft loss or death. Investigation of strategies to further reduce the risk of CMV infection and disease in high-risk LT recipients is warranted., (©2011 The Authors Journal compilation©2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Surgical site infection (SSI) after liver transplantation has been associated with increased risk of allograft loss and death. Identification of modifiable risk factors for these infections is imperative. To our knowledge, intraoperative practices associated with transplant surgeons have not been assessed as a risk factor. A retrospective cohort study of risk factors for SSI after 1036 first liver transplantations completed by seven surgeons at a single center between 2003 and 2008 was undertaken. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between surgeons and SSIs. SSIs were identified in 166 of 1036 patients (16%). Single variable analysis showed strong evidence of an association between surgeon and SSI (p = 0.0007); the estimated cumulative incidence of SSI ranged from 7% to 24%. This result was consistent in multivariable analysis adjusting for potentially confounding variables (p = 0.002). The occurrence of organ-space or deep SSI varied significantly among surgeons in both single variable analysis (p = 0.005) and multivariable analysis (p = 0.006). These findings provide evidence that differences in the surgical practices of individual surgeons are associated with risk for SSI after liver transplantation. Identification of specific surgical practices associated with risk of SSI is warranted., (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Journal compilation © 2011 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Background: Risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) after liver transplantation and outcomes associated with these infections have not been assessed using consensus surveillance and optimal analytic methods., Methods: A cohort study was performed of patients undergoing first liver transplantation at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, in 2003 and 2004. SSIs were identified by definitions and methods of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System. Measures of known or suspected risk factors for SSI, graft loss, or death were collected on all patients. Associations of SSI with these factors and also with the primary composite endpoint of graft loss or death within 1 year of liver transplantation were examined using Cox proportional hazards models; relative risks (RRs) were estimated along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)., Results: Of 370 patients, 66 (18%) had SSI and 57 (15%) died or sustained graft loss within 1 year after liver transplantation. Donor liver mass-to-recipient body mass ratio of less than 0.01 (RR 2.56; 95% CI 1.17-5.62; P=0.019) and increased operative time (RR 1.19 [1-hr increase]; 95% CI 1.03-1.37; P=0.018) were associated with increased SSI risk. SSI was associated with increased risk of death or graft loss within the first year after liver transplantation (RR 3.06; 95% CI 1.66-5.64; P<0.001)., Conclusion: SSI is associated with increased risk of death or graft loss during the first year after liver transplantation. Increased operative time and decreased donor liver-to-recipient body mass ratio showed evidence of association with SSI.