Ibrahim A. Hanouneh, Ariel E. Feldstein, Arthur J. McCullough, Charles Miller, Federico Aucejo, Lisa Yerian, Rocio Lopez, Nizar N. Zein – 28 August 2008 – Although hyperinsulinemia and its associated metabolic syndrome (MS) have been implicated in the progression of hepatic fibrosis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, little is known about the consequences of MS after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). The aim of this study was to assess the association between MS and fibrosis progression in patients with recurrent HCV after OLT.

Debbie Rybak, Michael B. Fallon, Michael J. Krowka, Robert S. Brown, Jenna Reinen, Linda Stadheim, Dorothy Faulk, Carrie Nielsen, Nadine Al‐Naamani, Kari Roberts, Steven Zacks, Ted Perry, James Trotter, Steven M. Kawut, Pulmonary Vascular Complications of Liver Disease Study Group – 28 August 2008 – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may cause significant symptoms and have an impact on survival. Smoking is an important risk factor for COPD and is common in candidates for liver transplantation; however, the risk factors for and outcomes of COPD in this population are unknown.

Gi‐Young Ko, Kyu‐Bo Sung, Hyun‐Ki Yoon, Kyung Rae Kim, Dong Il Gwon, Sung Gyu Lee – 28 August 2008 – Endoscopic treatment has largely replaced surgery as the initial treatment for biliary strictures following living donor liver transplantation; however, this treatment is nearly impossible in patients who have previously undergone hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). We therefore retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of percutaneous transhepatic treatment in patients who developed HJ strictures following living donor liver transplantation.

Surakit Pungpapong, David P. Nunes, Murli Krishna, Raouf Nakhleh, Kyle Chambers, Marwan Ghabril, Rolland C. Dickson, Christopher B. Hughes, Jeffery Steers, Justin H. Nguyen, Andrew P. Keaveny – 28 August 2008 – Although recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) after liver transplantation (LT) is universal, a minority of patients will develop cirrhosis within 5 years of surgery, which places them at risk for allograft failure.

Staffan Wahlin, Nirthiga Srikanthan, Børge Hamre, Pauline Harper, Atle Brun – 28 August 2008 – Erythropoietic protoporphyria is an inherited condition characterized by pronounced solar photosensitivity and in a minority of patients severe liver disease that necessitates liver transplantation for survival. Phototoxic injury to abdominal organs and skin has been reported in several cases of liver transplantation surgery, including a few transplants in which protective light filters were used.

Chung‐Mau Lo – 28 August 2008

Nina Singh, Hsin‐Yun Sun – 28 August 2008 – The propensity of liver transplant recipients to develop more fulminant disease presentation and a higher risk of disseminated disease due to a number of opportunistic infections, including invasive aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, zygomycosis, may be related to iron overload. Abnormalities in iron homeostasis may also be a contributor to severe manifestations due to other pathogens such as cytomegalovirus and Staphylococcus aureus in liver transplant recipients.

Jeremy F.L. Cobbold, Simon D. Taylor‐Robinson, I. Jane Cox – 28 August 2008

Joel G. Fletcher, Luis S. Guimaraes, Jeff L. Fidler, Patrick S. Kamath – 28 August 2008

David G. Bowen – 28 August 2008