Body Mass Index as a Prognostic Factor in Liver Transplantation

Area of Science:

• Hepatology and Transplant Surgery
• Obesity Medicine

Background:

• Obesity is a global epidemic linked to increased mortality.
• Understanding recipient factors like body mass index (BMI) is crucial for liver transplantation (LT) outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between recipient BMI and survival and morbidity following liver transplantation.
• To analyze the impact of varying BMI categories on post-LT outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 825 liver transplant recipients between 2006 and 2018.
• Analysis of donor and recipient variables, including BMI.
• Outcomes assessed included postoperative complications, early mortality, graft loss, and overall survival.

Main Results:

• Overall survival at 5 years was significantly lower in recipients with higher BMI (Obesity: 71%, Overweight: 76%, Normal: 83%; P = .027).
• No significant differences in early mortality rates were observed across BMI groups (Normal: 4.42%, Overweight: 6.5%, Obesity: 5.26%).
• Postoperative complications (hemorrhagic, vascular, biliary, etc.) and re-operation rates did not differ significantly between BMI groups.

Conclusions:

• Increasing recipient BMI is associated with reduced overall survival after liver transplantation.
• Overweight and obesity are not identified as risk factors for early morbidity or mortality in liver transplant recipients.