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Updated: Dec 20, 2025
Ex Situ Normothermic Machine Perfusion of Donor Livers
Published on: May 26, 2015
Liver Steatosis in Brain-Dead Donors: Progression Pattern and Affecting Factors
Kyu-Hyouck Kyoung1, Sung-Gyu Lee2, Shin Hwang2
1Department of Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
Objectives:
No study has investigated the short-term effect of acute insulin resistance on liver steatosis in critically ill condition. We analyzed the effects of critically ill conditions of brain-dead donors (BDDs) on the development and progression of liver steatosis to investigate the influencing factors.
Methods:
This study was conducted retrospectively between January 2003 and December 2017. BDDs were for organ procurement. BDDs with body mass indexes (BMIs) < 18.5 kg/m2 and ≥ 30 kg/m2 were excluded. Liver steatosis was defined as ≥5% of the fat vacuole. The serum glucose level (SGL) was used to reflect insulin resistance.
Results:
Of the 179 BDDs, 87 (48.6%) had liver steatosis. BMI (r = 0.176, P = .019) and SGL (r = 0.267, P < .001) were correlated with steatosis. The length of the predonation period (LPDP) was negatively correlated with steatosis (r = -0.379, P < .001). BMI (odds ratio 1.266, P = .002), SGL ≥180 mg/dL (odds ratio 2.825, P = .003), and LPDP (odds ratio 0.885, P = .001) were independent risk factors for liver steatosis.
Conclusion:
Liver steatosis is related to the SGL and BMI. Liver steatosis develops acutely in the early phase of critical illness and patients recover gradually.
