Impact of graft preservation solutions for liver transplantation on early cytokine release and postoperative organ dysfunctions. A pilot study

Organ Preservation Solutions in Transplantation: A Literature Review

OBJECTIVES

Renal transplant with ABO-incompatible donors expands the donor pool. Earlier studies have focused the use of protocol biopsies in ABOincompatible transplant patients. Our study described outcomes of indication (for cause) renal biopsies and clinical outcomes in patients with ABO-incompatible renal transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective study included 164 patients from January 2012 to June 2019. Biochemical parameters, serial immunoglobulin G anti-ABO titers, and class I and II donor-specific antibody findings were obtained from hospital records, and renal graft biopsies were reviewed according to the Banff 2017 update.

RESULTS

We analyzed the results of 65 biopsies from 54 patients. Biopsy-proven acute antibody-mediated rejection (12.8%) was found to be more prevalent than acute cellular rejection (1.8%). Patients with antibodymediated rejection all had microvascular inflammation (g+ptc score of 2 or more, where g+ptc is the sum of the glomerulitis and peritubular capillaritis scores) and were positive for C4d. Acute tubular injury per se was seen in 10.3% of patients; 65% of these patients had C4d positivity in peritubular capillaries, and only 1 patient developed chronic active antibody-mediated rejection on follow-up. Patient and death-censored graft survival rates were 92% and 98% at 1 year after transplant and 88% and 91% at 3 years, respectively. Patients with an episode of antibody-mediated rejection had lower rates of patient (76.5%) and deathcensored graft survival (84.6%) at 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

The microvascular inflammation score (g+ptc score of 2 or higher) is more reliable than diffuse C4d positivity to determine antibody-mediated rejection in ABO-incompatible transplants because diffuse C4d positivity may also be seen in etiologies unrelated to antibody-mediated rejection. Acute tubular injury with C4d positivity without microvascular injury does not confirm antibody-mediated rejection. We suggest that Banff classification be updated in ABOincompatible transplants to include diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of antibody-mediated rejection.

Impact of early remote organ dysfunction on long-term survival after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Attention is focused on graft function although extrahepatic organ dysfunction often occurs. Renal failure, cardiovascular events and sepsis have individually shown a significant impact on short- and long-term outcomes. The aim of the study was to identify how extrahepatic organ dysfunction (EROD) and allograft dysfunction (EAD) may be associated and their relative impact on long-term survival.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in a unicentric cohort of 294 patients transplanted between 2009 and 2014. The composite endpoint EROD was defined as requirement during the hospitalization of de novo renal replacement therapy, reintubation/ventilation > 7 days or cardiovascular event. Donor and recipient characteristics were evaluated as predictive of EROD in uni- and multivariate analysis. Main endpoint was overall survival evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

EROD occurred in 91 patients (31%) among whom 42 also experienced EAD (46%). Predicting factors associated with EROD were IL6 level (P = 0.002) and lab-MELD (P < 0.001). Only patients experiencing both EAD and EROD had a worse survival (P = 0.001). In patients without EAD, time to normalization of bilirubin and INR were longer in patients with EROD compared to those without EROD (P = 0.002 and P = 0.008 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The composite endpoint described as early remote organ dysfunction could be used as a predictive factor after transplantation and should be included in future studies together with early allograft dysfunction. Identifying patients in whom EROD and EAD occur together or one after the other could help to better predict long-term outcomes.

Influence of 4 preservation solutions on ICU stay, graft and patient survival following liver transplantation

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to evaluate the prognostic role of four preservation solutions in liver transplantation (LT).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective study originating from 22 French centers performing LT, registered in the prospective databank of the Cristal Biomedicine Agency between 2008 and 2013. The preservation solutions used were Celsior (CS), Institut Georges Lopez (IGL)-1, Solution de Conservation des Organes et des Tissus (SCOT) 15 and University of Wisconsin (UW) solutions. Exclusion criteria were preservation with unknown or inhomogeneous solutions, or Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution (representing only 3% of LT). Patient survival was the main endpoint. Secondary endpoints were graft survival and duration of stay in intensive care.

RESULTS

Of 6347 LT performed, 4928 were included in this study, for which the distribution of preservation solution was CS (30%), IGL-1 (44%), SCOT 15 (10%) and UW (16%). Patient survival was 86%, 80% and 74% at 1, 3 and 5 years after LT, respectively, without any statistically significant difference between the four solutions (P=0.78). Graft survival was 82%, 75% and 69% at 1, 3 and 5 years after LT, respectively, without any statistically significant difference between the four solutions (P=0.80). Duration of intensive care was different according to the solution used in univariate analysis (P<0.001), but this effect disappeared in multivariate analysis when the center performing the transplantation was accounted for.

CONCLUSION

The type of preservation solution used (CS, IGL-1, SCOT 15 or UW) did not have any influence on patient or graft survival after LT.

Compared efficacy of preservation solutions on the outcome of liver transplantation: Meta-analysis

AIM

To compare the effects of the four most commonly used preservation solutions on the outcome of liver transplantations.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed using MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases up to January 31st, 2017. The inclusion criteria were comparative, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for deceased donor liver (DDL) allografts with adult and pediatric donors using the gold standard University of Wisconsin (UW) solution or histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK), Celsior (CS) and Institut Georges Lopez (IGL-1) solutions. Fifteen RCTs (1830 livers) were included; the primary outcomes were primary non-function (PNF) and one-year post-transplant graft survival (OGS-1).

RESULTS

All trials were homogenous with respect to donor and recipient characteristics. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of PNF with the use of UW, HTK, CS and IGL-1 (RR = 0.02, 95%CI: 0.01-0.03, P = 0.356). Comparing OGS-1 also failed to reveal any difference between UW, HTK, CS and IGL-1 (RR = 0.80, 95%CI: 0.80-0.80, P = 0.369). Two trials demonstrated higher PNF levels for UW in comparison with the HTK group, and individual studies described higher rates of biliary complications where HTK and CS were used compared to the UW and IGL-1 solutions. However, the meta-analysis of the data did not prove a statistically significant difference: the UW, CS, HTK and IGL-1 solutions were associated with nearly equivalent outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Alternative solutions for UW yield the same degree of safety and effectiveness for the preservation of DDLs, but further well-designed clinical trials are warranted.