National and regional analysis of exceptions to the pediatric end‐stage liver disease scoring system (2003–2004)

Benjamin L. Shneider, Frederick J. Suchy, Sukru Emre – 28 December 2005 – Since February 2002, the Pediatric End Stage Liver Disease (PELD) scoring system has been utilized as a means of prioritizing children for liver transplantation. The United Network for Organ Sharing database was queried to assess utilization of PELD in 2003 and 2004; 682 liver transplants were performed in pediatric recipients where the PELD score was potentially the primary determinant of liver allocation.

Validity of the Spanish version of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) as a standard outcome for quality of life assessment

Montserrat Ferrer, Juan Córdoba, Olatz Garin, Gemma Olivé, Montserrat Flavià, Victor Vargas, Rafael Esteban, Jordi Alonso – 28 December 2005 – The Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) measures the impact on quality of life of chronic liver diseases, regardless of underlying etiology. The aim of this study was to develop a Spanish version of the CLDQ, and to assess its acceptability, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change. The forward and back‐translation method by bilingual translators, with expert panel and pilot testing on patients, was used for the adaptation.

Efficacy and safety of low‐dose valganciclovir in the prevention of cytomegalovirus disease in adult liver transplant recipients

Jeong M. Park, Kathleen D. Lake, Juan D. Arenas, Robert J. Fontana – 28 December 2005 – The efficacy and safety of valganciclovir (VGCV) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients has not been established. We retrospectively compared the efficacy and safety of low‐dose oral VGCV (450 mg once daily for 90 days) and standard oral ganciclovir (1 g three times a day for 90 days, GCV) in preventing CMV disease in 109 adult liver transplant recipients who survived at least 1 month between January 2001 and April 2003 (49 GCV and 60 VGCV).

Navigator‐echo‐based MR provides high‐resolution images and precise volumetry of swine livers without breath holding or injection of contrast media

Il‐Deok Kim, Takashi Azuma, Akio Ido, Akihiro Moriuchi, Masatsugu Numata, Satoshi Teramukai, Jun Okamoto, Sadami Tsutsumi, Koichi Tanaka, Hirohito Tsubouchi – 28 December 2005 – The accurate calculation of hepatic volume by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) is complicated by the need for breath holding and the injection of contrast media.

Cyclosporine suppresses hepatitis C virus in vitro and increases the chance of a sustained virological response after liver transplantation

Roberto J. Firpi, Haizhen Zhu, Giuseppe Morelli, Manal F. Abdelmalek, Consuelo Soldevila‐Pico, Victor I. Machicao, Roniel Cabrera, Alan I. Reed, Chen Liu, David R. Nelson – 28 December 2005 – Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressive agent widely used in the management of liver transplant recipients. Cyclosporine has been shown to have antiviral activities against HIV, herpes simplex, and vaccinia viruses.

Hepatic artery reconstruction with double‐needle microsuture in living‐donor liver transplantation

Mutsumi Okazaki, Hirotaka Asato, Akihiko Takushima, Takashi Nakatsuka, Shunji Sarukawa, Keita Inoue, Kiyonori Harii, Yasuhiko Sugawara, Masatoshi Makuuchi – 28 December 2005 – In living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT), reconstruction of the hepatic artery is challenging because the recipient artery is located deep in the abdominal cavity and the operating field is limited. Also, the hepatic artery of the graft is short and the recipient artery is occasionally damaged. To overcome these difficulties, we developed a double‐needle microsuture technique for artery reconstruction.

Effect of low central venous pressure and phlebotomy on blood product transfusion requirements during liver transplantations

Luc Massicotte, Serge Lenis, Lynda Thibeault, Marie‐Pascale Sassine, Robert F. Seal, André Roy – 28 December 2005 – Correction of coagulation defects with plasma transfusion did not decrease the need for intraoperative red blood cells (RBC) transfusions during liver transplantations. On the contrary, it led to a hypervolemic state that resulted in an increase of shed blood. As well, plasma transfusion has been associated with a decreased one‐year survival rate.

Protective antibody levels and dose requirements for IV 5% Nabi Hepatitis B immune globulin combined with lamivudine in liver transplantation for hepatitis B‐induced end stage liver disease

Rolland C. Dickson, Norah A. Terrault, Michael Ishitani, K. Rajender Reddy, Patricia Sheiner, Velimir Luketic, Consuelo Soldevila‐Pico, Michael Fried, Donald Jensen, Robert S. Brown, Gary Horwith, Richard Brundage, Anna Lok – 28 December 2005 – Lamivudine combined with Hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIg) prevents post liver transplant (LT) HBV recurrence. The study was designed to assess the impact of lamivudine on hepatitis B antibody (anti‐HBs) and dosage requirements of intravenous 5% HBIg (Nabi‐HB®) in the first 36 weeks post LT.

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