COMPARATIVE STUDY ON LIVER TRANSPLANTATION WITH AND WITHOUT HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA WITH CIRRHOSIS: ANALYSIS OF MELD, WAITING TIME AND SURVIVAL

THE USE OF MELD SCORE (MODEL FOR END-STAGE LIVER DISEASE) AND DERIVATIVES IN CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION

Introduction:

Heart transplantation is still the best therapeutic alternative for the treatment of end-stage heart failure. The use of criteria that consider the complications associated with this procedure can guarantee a better evaluation of the recipient and prepare the team for possible unsatisfactory post-transplant results. The use of the MELD score has been expanded to evaluate cirrhotic patients undergoing various procedures, including cardiac transplantation.

Objective:

To analyze the knowledge on MELD score and its derivatives to the prognosis of patients with end-stage heart failure considered for heart transplantation.

Method:

Was carried out an integrative review of the publications of the last ten years in Pubmed and Lilacs databases, using the descriptors “heart transplantation”, “liver disease” and “prognosis”. From the total of 111 articles found, six were selected and composed the sample.

Results:

The MELD-XI score (eXcluding INR) was the most analyzed in the studies due to the exclusion of INR, since many patients with heart failure use anticoagulants, which may alter their value. MELD and derivatives were associated with unsatisfactory results in cardiac transplantation.

Conclusion:

The MELD score can be considered as a good predictor for heart transplantation; however, there are still few studies that make this correlation.

INFLUENCE OF HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA ETIOLOGY IN THE SURVIVAL AFTER RESECTION

Background:

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent type of primary liver cancer and its incidence is increasing around the world in the last decades, making it the third cause of death by cancer in the world. Hepatic resection is one of the most effective treatments for HCC with five-year survival rates from 50-70%, especially for patients with a single nodule and preserved liver function. Some studies have shown a worse prognosis for HCC patients whose etiology is viral. That brings us to the question about the existence of a difference between the various causes of HCC and its prognosis.

Aim:

To compare the prognosis (overall and disease-free survival at five years) of patients undergoing hepatectomy for the treatment of HCC with respect to various causes of liver disease.

Method:

Was performed a review of medical records of patients undergoing hepatectomy between 2000 and 2014 for the treatment of HCC. They were divided into groups according to the cause of liver disease, followed by overall and disease-free survival analysis for comparison.

Results:

There was no statistically significant difference in the outcomes of the groups of patients divided according to the etiology of HCC. Overall and disease-free survival at five years of the patients in this sample were 49.9% and 40.7%, respectively.

Conclusion:

From the data of this sample, was verified that there was no prognostic differences among the groups of HCC patients of the various etiologies.

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION FOR CARCINOMA HEPATOCELLULAR IN SÃO PAULO: 414 CASES BY THE MILAN/BRAZIL CRITERIA

Background:

The criterion of Milan (CM) has been used as standard for indication of liver transplantation (LTx) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide for nearly 20 years. Several centers have adopted criteria expanded in order to increase the number of patients eligible to liver transplantation, while maintaining good survival rates. In Brazil, since 2006, the criterion of Milan/Brazil (CMB), which disregards nodules <2 cm, is adopted, including patients with a higher number of small nodules.

Aim:

To evaluate the outcome of liver transplantation within the CMB.

Methods:

The medical records of patients with HCC undergoing liver transplantation in relation to recurrence and survival by comparing CM and CMB, were analyzed.

Results:

414 LTx for HCC, the survival at 1 and 5 years was 84.1 and 72.7%. Of these, 7% reached the CMB through downstaging, with survival at 1 and 5 years of 93.1 and 71.9%. The CMB patient group that exceeded the CM (8.6%) had a survival rate of 58.1% at five years. There was no statistical difference in survival between the groups CM, CMB and downstaging. Vascular invasion (p<0.001), higher nodule size (p=0.001) and number of nodules >2 cm (p=0.028) were associated with relapse. The age (p=0.001), female (p<0.001), real MELD (p<0.001), vascular invasion (p=0.045) and number of nodes >2 cm (p<0.014) were associated with worse survival.

Conclusions:

CMB increased by 8.6% indications of liver transplantation, and showed survival rates similar to CM.

THE IMPACT OF THE MELD SCORE ON LIVER TRANSPLANT ALLOCATION AND RESULTS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Introduction

Liver transplantation is intended to increase the survival of patients with chronic liver disease in terminal phase, as well as improved quality of life. Since the first transplant until today many changes have occurred in the organ allocation system.

Objective

To review the literature on the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) and analyze its correlation with survival after liver transplantation.

Method

An integrative literature review in Lilacs, SciELO, and Pubmed in October 2015, was realized. Were included eight studies related to the MELD score and its impact on liver transplant.

Results

There was predominance of transplants in male between 45-55 y. The main indications were hepatitis C, hepatocellular carcinoma and alcoholic cirrhosis. The most important factors post-surgery were related to the MELD score, the recipient age, expanded donor criteria and hemotransfusion.

Conclusion

The MELD system reduced the death rate in patients waiting for a liver transplant. However, this score by itself is not a good predictor of survival after liver transplantation.