David E. Kaplan, Kazushi Sugimoto, Fusao Ikeda, Jason Stadanlick, Mary Valiga, Kirti Shetty, K. Rajender Reddy, Kyong‐Mi Chang – 24 May 2005 – Viral genotype and host ethnicity are important predictors of viral clearance during antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Based on the role of T cells in natural HCV clearance, we hypothesized that T cells may contribute to the genotypic and ethnic difference in treatment outcome.

Piero Marchetti – 24 May 2005 – New‐onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) develops in approximately 15% of liver transplant recipients, and a similar proportion of patients have diabetes prior to transplantation. Preexisting diabetes and probably NODM are associated with increased mortality and risk of infection. NODM occurs more frequently among patients with hepatitis C infection; additional risk factors include family history, male gender, increasing weight, and alcoholic cirrhosis.

Oren Shibolet, Mina Rowe, Rifaat Safadi, Izhar Levy, Gideon Zamir, Ahmed Eid, Yoel Donchin, Yaron Ilan, Daniel Shouval – 24 May 2005 – The Israeli population does not meet its transplantation organ needs. Therefore, liver transplantation (LTX) candidates are sometimes transported to centers abroad. We aimed to assess the demographic and clinical issues concerning this policy. Records of all candidates transported (2000–2004) were retrospectively reviewed. Data included etiology, disease severity, outcome, distances traveled and destinations, and medical complication arising en route.

Santiago J. Muñoz – 24 May 2005

Marek J. Mazur, Raymond L. Heilman – 24 May 2005 – Acute renal failure (ARF) is associated with high mortality. Presently, no specific therapy for ARF exists. Therefore, early detection of ARF is critical to prevent its progression. However, serum creatinine, the standard marker to detect ARF, demonstrates major limitations. We prospectively evaluated whether serum cystatin C detected ARF earlier than serum creatinine. In 85 patients at high risk to develop ARF, serum creatinine and cystatin C were determined daily.

Yanli Gu, Olaf Dirsch, Uta Dahmen, Yuan Ji, Qing He, Haidong Chi, Christoph Erich Broelsch – 24 May 2005 – The aim of this study was to assess the impact of donor gender on small‐for‐size (SFS) liver transplantation in male recipients using a rat model. Adult female or male Lewis rats were used as donors and male Lewis rats as recipients. Size‐matched (SM) and SFS liver grafts from either male or female donors were transplanted into male recipients.

Eveline Boucher, Harvey J. Turner, Patrick Bourguet, Jean‐Luc Raoul – 24 May 2005

24 May 2005

Yunfang Wang, Xue Nan, Yanhua Li, Rui Zhang, Wen Yue, Fang Yan, Xuetao Pei – 24 May 2005 – Several studies have indicated that adult stem cells derived from bone marrow (BM) and cord blood (CB) can differentiate into hepatocyte‐like cells. This ability is important for the treatment of hepatic diseases with BM or CB as a potential approach. However, methods are still being developed for the efficient induction of stem cell differentiation and expansion to get enough cells to be useful.

Nina Singh, Cheryl Wannstedt, Lois Keyes, Marilyn M. Wagener, Thomas V. Cacciarelli – 24 May 2005 – A vast majority of the transplant recipients are cytomegalovirus (CMV)‐seropositive (R+). We sought to assess variables predictive of CMV infection, specifically in R+ liver transplant recipients. Study patients comprised 182 consecutive liver transplant recipients who survived at least 14 days after transplantation. Surveillance testing was used to detect CMV infection.