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Allograft Necrosis in Liver Biopsy Is Predictive for Organ Outcome and Patient Survival
Xin Zhang1, Yong Zang2, Yifei Zhang3
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN.
Aim:
To evaluate if any association existed between the extent of allograft necrosis in liver biopsy and patient survival.
Methods:
Sixty-nine patients who had 70 liver transplantations with allograft necrosis were included in the study. Correlations of necrosis, the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and allograft survival were analyzed.
Results:
Allograft failure rate within 1 month after index biopsy was worse in patients with a higher extent of necrosis (2.5%, 12.5%, 25%, and 40% in groups with allograft necrosis of 1-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, and >75%, respectively). Adequate biopsy with more than 50% necrosis is associated with significant allograft failure (P <.001). The MELD scores did not always accurately predict fatality that was caused by massive necrosis. In the absence of substantial clinical changes, repetition of allograft biopsy within a short period of time did not provide additional value. Among patients with more than 75% allograft necrosis, one who received an immediate second transplantation survived and 3 out of 9 patients who had not received those deceased within 1 month.
Conclusions:
Allograft necrosis demonstrates strong predictive power in organ and patient survival. Additionally, biopsy-proven allograft necrosis unequivocally pinpoints ischemia as the direct cause of allograft failure, which facilitates clinical management. Immediate retransplantation is crucial for patients with substantial allograft necrosis.
