Safety and Outcomes in 100 Consecutive Donation After Circulatory Death Liver Transplants Using a Protocol That Includes Thrombolytic Therapy

Donation after circulatory death (DCD) liver transplantation (LT) reportedly yields inferior survival and increased complication rates compared with donation after brain death (DBD). We compare 100 consecutive DCD LT using a protocol that includes thrombolytic therapy (late DCD group) to an historical DCD group (early DCD group n = 38) and a cohort of DBD LT recipients (DBD group n = 435). Late DCD LT recipients had better 1- and 3-year graft survival rates than early DCD LT recipients (92% vs. 76.3%, p = 0.03 and 91.4% vs. 73.7%, p = 0.01). Late DCD graft survival rates were comparable to those of the DBD group (92% vs. 93.3%, p = 0.24 and 91.4% vs. 88.2%, p = 0.62). Re-transplantation occurred in 18.4% versus 1% for the early and late DCD groups, respectively (p = 0.001). Patient survival was similar in all three groups. Ischemic-type biliary lesions (ITBL) occurred in 5%, 3%, and 0.2% for early DCD, late DCD, and DBD groups, respectively, but unlike in the early DCD group, in the late DCD group ITBL was endoscopically managed and resolved in each case. Using a protocol that includes a thrombolytic therapy, DCD LT yielded patient and graft survival rates comparable to DBD LT.

Impact of recommendations to suspend the birth dose of hepatitis B virus vaccine

CONTEXT

In July 1999, due to concerns about thimerosal content, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Public Health Service (PHS) recommended suspending hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination at birth except for mothers who had positive or unknown hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) status. In September 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that hospitals resume HBV vaccination at birth with a new thimerosal-free vaccine. Whether the 2 changes in recommendations within 3 months led to less-than-optimal compliance in hospital nurseries is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

To determine hospital HBV vaccination policy before the recommendation for delay of HBV vaccination and 1 year later.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Survey of all 46 hospitals with obstetric services and neonatal nurseries in Cook County, Illinois.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Hepatitis B virus immunization practices before July 1999 and in August 2000; hospital factors associated with routine HBV immunization and compliance with AAP and PHS recommendations.

RESULTS

Before July 1999, 74% of surveyed hospital nurseries offered HBV vaccine to all neonates; only 39% did so in August 2000. Being located in the Chicago city limits (88% vs 57%; P =.02) and having an academic affiliation (93% vs 66%; P =.05) were positively associated with routine neonatal immunization before July 1999. Both academic affiliation and city location were associated with routine immunization in August 2000 (71% vs 25% [P =.003] and 60% vs 14% [P =.002], respectively) and with compliance with recommendations for suspension (57% vs 25% [P =.03] and 56% vs 10% [P =.001]).

CONCLUSIONS

We documented a 35% decrease in hospital nurseries that routinely offered HBV immunization 1 year after the AAP and PHS recommendations were made. Special efforts may be required to make at-birth administration of HBV vaccination universal.

Evolving antimicrobial chemotherapy for Staphylococcus aureus infections: Our backs to the wall

Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for many nosocomial and community-acquired infections. Its evolving resistance to traditional antimicrobial chemotherapy and emerging prevalence outside of the healthcare environment are serious concerns. This review of the changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, the emergence of vancomycin (glycopeptide)-resistant isolates, and the mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactams and glycopeptides provides an update for clinicians regarding effective strategies for treatment.