Chia‐Yang Hsu, Yi‐Hsiang Huang, Yi‐You Chiou, Chien‐Wei Su, Han‐Chieh Lin, Rheun‐Chuan Lee, Jen‐Huey Chiang, Teh‐Ia Huo, Fa‐Yauh Lee, Shou‐Dong Lee – 19 January 2011 – Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) are used to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study was designed to compare the long‐term survival of HCC patients within the Milan criteria who underwent RFA or TACE. In all, 315 RFA patients and 215 TACE patients with HCC within the Milan criteria were analyzed. Propensity scores were generated to select matched patients.

Christian D. Fingas, Shengli Wu, Yanli Gu, Jeremias Wohlschlaeger, André Scherag, Uta Dahmen, Andreas Paul, Herbert de Groot, Ursula Rauen – 19 January 2011 – Recent in vitro studies of cold‐induced cell injury have revealed the detrimental effects of extracellular chloride on cold‐stored isolated rat hepatocytes; however, its influence on endothelial cells is beneficial.

Robert M. Weinrieb, Deborah H.A. Van Horn, Kevin G. Lynch, Michael R. Lucey – 14 January 2011 – Alcohol is the second most common cause of cirrhosis necessitating liver transplantation in the United States, yet rates of posttransplant drinking approach 50% and no controlled clinical trials of alcoholism treatment exist in this population. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), or referral to local treatment sources (“treatment as usual” [TAU]). Addictive behavior, mood states, and general health were compared.

Josh Levitsky – 14 January 2011 – Every liver transplant (LT) center has had patients who either self‐discontinue immunosuppressive (IS) therapy or are deliberately withdrawn due to a research protocol or clinical concern (ie, lymphoproliferative disorder [LPD], overwhelming infection). This is understandable because maintenance IS therapy, particularly calcineurin inhibitors (CNI), is associated with significant cost, side effects, and considerable long‐term morbidity and mortality.

Richard B. Freeman – 14 January 2011

Sammy Saab, Vivian Ng, Carmen Landaverde, Sung‐Jae Lee, W. Scott Comulada, Jennifer Arevalo, Francisco Durazo, Steven‐Huy Han, Zobari Younossi, Ronald W. Busuttil – 14 January 2011 – Currently, no disease‐targeted instrument is available for measuring health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in liver transplant recipients. We developed and tested a post–liver transplant quality of life (pLTQ) instrument. Item selection for the pLTQ instrument was based on responses from liver transplant recipients, 12 liver experts, and a literature search.

Flavio Paterno, Adeel Khan, Keith Cavaness, Massimo Asolati, Jeffrey Campsen, Greg J. McKenna, Nicholas Onaca, Richard Ruiz, James Trotter, Goran B. Klintmalm – 14 January 2011

Sammy Saab, Hillary Bownik, Noel Ayoub, Zobair Younossi, Francisco Durazo, Steven Han, Johnny C. Hong, Douglas Farmer, Ronald W. Busuttil – 14 January 2011 – One of the current ultimate goals of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the improvement of patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQOL). The purpose of this study was to look at the effects of socioeconomic and demographic differences on the short‐term and long‐term HRQOL outcomes of OLT recipients.

Geoffrey W. McCaughan, Nicholas A. Shackel, David G. Bowen – 14 January 2011

Alexandra Zahn, Nadja Schott, Ulf Hinz, Wolfgang Stremmel, Jan Schmidt, Tom Ganten, Daniel Gotthardt, Stefan Meuer, Martin Zeier, Thomas Giese, Claudia Sommerer – 14 January 2011 – Long‐term calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) treatment can cause serious side effects in liver allograft recipients. An optimal risk‐to‐benefit ratio for CNI blood levels has not been established. Pharmacodynamic drug monitoring through the measurement of the CNI biological activity, that is, the expression of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)–regulated genes, seems to be a promising approach.