Postoperative Pulmonary Complications After Liver Transplantation: Assessment of Risk Factors for Mortality

The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors related to mortality in liver transplant (LT) patients with post-transplantation pulmonary complications.

Patients who underwent liver transplantation in our clinic between January 2010 and January 2012 were retrospectively reviewed for post-transplantation pulmonary complications. Demographic, clinical, radiologic, and postoperative chart data of 153 patients with pulmonary complications were analyzed using an independent samples Student t test, Pearson's χ(2) test, Fisher's exact test, and Yate's corrected χ(2) test. Mortality was analyzed using a multiple logistic regression model. The best-fit breakpoint resulting in a cut-off value for the variables of interest was determined using ROC curves and the Youden index.

The 153 patients with pulmonary complication were divided into 2 groups: mortality (n = 53) and survival (n = 100). Univariate analyses showed significant differences between these 2 groups with respect to MELD score (P = .035), duration of mechanical ventilation (P > .001), pneumonia (P = .01), and endotracheal culture results (P = .001). In the multivariate analysis, hemoglobin (P = .03, odds ratio [OR]: 1.239), MELD score (P = .027, OR: 1.064), duration of mechanical ventilation (P = .003, OR: 1.091), and age (P = .042, OR: 1.001) were significant risk factors for mortality. The best-fit breakpoint analysis yielded cut-off values for hemoglobin (>11.2, sensitivity: 50.9%, specificity: 70%), MELD score (>16, sensitivity: 73.6%, specificity: 42%) and duration of mechanical ventilation (>3, sensitivity: 62.3%, specificity: 76%).

Advanced age, high hemoglobin level, high MELD score, and long-term mechanical ventilation are significant risk factors for mortality in liver transplant patients with postoperative pulmonary complications.