Soo Jung Park, Young‐Suk Lim, Shin Hwang, Nae Yun Heo, Han Chu Lee, Dong Jin Suh, Eunsil Yu, Sung Gyu Lee – 13 October 2009 – The outcomes of patients with acute liver failure (ALF) vary greatly according to etiology. Emergency adult‐to‐adult living‐donor liver transplantation (adult LDLT) would help address the shortage of available organs for patients with ALF, especially in hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐endemic areas. We analyzed a prospective database of 110 consecutive adult patients with ALF.

Paulette Bioulac‐Sage, Charles Balabaud, Jessica Zucman‐Rossi – 13 October 2009

Debbie L. Shawcross, Shabnam S. Shabbir, Nicholas J. Taylor, Robin D. Hughes – 13 October 2009 – Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) constitutes a neuropsychiatric syndrome which remains a major clinical problem in patients with cirrhosis. In the severest form of HE, cirrhotic patients may develop varying degrees of confusion and coma. Ammonia has been regarded as the key precipitating factor in HE, and astrocytes have been the most commonly affected cells neuropathologically.

Elizabeth B. Haagsma, Hubert G. M. Niesters, Arie P. van den Berg, Annelies Riezebos‐Brilman, Robert J. Porte, Harry Vennema, Johan H. J. Reimerink, Marion P. G. Koopmans – 29 September 2009 – Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is known to run a self‐limited course. Recently, chronic hepatitis E has been described in several immunosuppressed patients after solid organ transplantation. The prevalence of HEV infection after transplantation, however, is unknown.

Jacqueline G. O'Leary, Gary L. Davis – 29 September 2009 – Hyponatremia is associated with increased mortality in patients with end‐stage liver disease and a greater risk of perioperative mortality with liver transplantation. We performed a retrospective review of our experience with conivaptan as a means of acutely increasing serum sodium in end‐stage liver disease patients. The primary group consisted of 15 patients with end‐stage liver disease who remained hyponatremic despite discontinuation of diuretics and a 1‐L fluid restriction.

James D. Perkins – 29 September 2009

Aldo J. Montano‐Loza, Andrew L. Mason, Mang Ma, Ravin J. Bastiampillai, Vincent G. Bain, Puneeta Tandon – 29 September 2009 – Autoimmune hepatitis has been reported to recur after liver transplantation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the risk factors associated with recurrence of autoimmune hepatitis. Forty‐six patients that underwent liver transplantation because of end‐stage liver disease secondary to autoimmune hepatitis were studied. Recurrence of autoimmune hepatitis was diagnosed in 11 of the 46 (24%) patients, and the overall 5‐year probability of recurrence was 18%.

Edward Biobele Alabraba, Darius Mirza, James Neuberger – 29 September 2009

Paolo De Simone, Herold J. Metselaar, Lutz Fischer, Jérôme Dumortier, Karim Boudjema, Jean Hardwigsen, Lionel Rostaing, Luciano De Carlis, Faouzi Saliba, Frederik Nevens – 29 September 2009 – Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) contribute to renal dysfunction following liver transplantation. This prospective, randomized, multicenter, 6‐month study (with an additional 6 months of follow‐up) evaluated whether everolimus with CNI reduction or discontinuation would improve renal function in maintenance liver transplant recipients experiencing CNI‐related renal impairment.

Luis Olmedilla, José María Pérez‐Peña, Cristina Ripoll, Ignacio Garutti, Roberto de Diego, Magdalena Salcedo, Consuelo Jiménez, Rafael Bañares – 29 September 2009 – Early diagnosis of graft dysfunction in liver transplantation is essential for taking appropriate action. Indocyanine green clearance is closely related to liver function and can be measured noninvasively by spectrophotometry.