Russell H. Wiesner, Robert M. Goldstein, Jeremiah P. Donovan, Charles M. Miller, John R. Lake, Michael R. Lucey – 30 December 2003 – A multicenter, retrospective analysis of 623 liver transplant recipients was performed to define safe and effective cyclosporine doses and blood levels at various times after transplantation. Patient and graft survival were assessed as efficacy parameters, and serum creatinine and cholesterol levels as safety parameters. The mean daily cyclosporine dose was 12.1 mg/kg/d at 1 month posttransplantation and 5.5 mg/kg/d after 1 year.

Roberto Leon, Maria de Medina, Eugene R. Schiff – 30 December 2003 – Familiarity with the diagnostic parameters of viral hepatitis is imperative in the liver transplantation arena. Chronic viral hepatitis B and C are among the most common categories of end‐stage liver disease. The preoperative diagnosis, determination of recurrent infection, and the assessment of antiviral therapeutic efficacy are dependent on appropriate virological testing. Furthermore, liver transplant personnel are at a high risk for parenterally transmitted viral hepatitis infection.

Nancy L. Ascher, – 30 December 2003 – Background. To prevent the central role played by complement activation in the hyperacute rejection of pig organs transplanted into primates, pigs transgenic for human decay‐accelerating factor (HDAF) have recently been produced. The data presented here extend previous immunohistochemical findings by documenting the immunological characterization and the levels of expression of HDAF in these transgenic pigs.

30 December 2003

Ahmed Eid,, Ruth Rahamimov, Yaron Ilan, Ran Tur‐Kaspa, Yacob Berlatzky – 30 December 2003 – A liver transplant recipient developed the Budd‐Chiari syndrome because of an obstruction of the suprahepatic inferior vena cava anastomosis. Percutaneous balloon dilatation angioplasty was not feasible. On exploration, dense retrohepatic fibrotic reaction was observed. The patient underwent successful retrohepatic cavoatrial shunt placement by means of a 16‐mm, ring‐enforced polytetrafluoroethylene graft.

Anna Hellgren, Barbro Berglund, Ulriqa Gunnarsson, Karin Hansson, Ulla Norberg, Lars Bäckman – 30 December 2003 – To gather information regarding how to best assist liver transplant recipients in improving their self‐care capacity and well‐being, we investigated their total health situation. A retrospective, cross‐sectional survey with up to a 10‐year follow‐up concerning experienced health and quality of life after liver transplantation (LTX) was conducted.

James S. Goff, Judy Glazner, Bahri M. Bilir, – 30 December 2003 – As the number of liver transplantations performed around the world and the survival rates increase, attention is turning to the broad impact this procedure has on patients' quality of life (QOL), including their physical and psychosocial functioning and their perceived sense of well‐being. There exists a small body of literature that examines the global effects of liver transplantation on QOL.

Vincent J. Canzanello,, Stephen C. Textor, Sandra J. Taler, Lora L. Schwartz, Michael K. Porayko, Russell H. Wiesner, Ruud A.F. Krom – 30 December 2003 – Hypertension frequently develops early after liver transplantation when cyclosporine‐based immunosuppression is used. However, initial experience with tacrolimus has suggested that its use leads to a lower early incidence of hypertension. In this study, the blood pressure status of patients treated with cyclosporine (n = 131) and those treated with tacrolimus (n = 28) was compared 24 months after liver transplantation.

Nancy L. Ascher, – 30 December 2003 – Background: Animals reconstituted with allogeneic whole bone marrow (WBM) are often tolerant of donor‐specific solid organ grafts. Clinical application of bone marrow transplantation in solid organ transplantation has been limited, however, principally by graft‐versus‐host disease. We previously demonstrated that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reconstitute lethally irradiated allogeneic mice without producing graft‐versus‐host disease.

James Thielke, Jill Martin, Fredrick L. Weber, Timothy J. Schroeder, Sharon Goretsky, Douglas W. Hanto – 30 December 2003