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Author Spotlight: Evaluating Therapeutic Strategies to Enhance Liver Regeneration
Published on: May 24, 2024
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Liver transplantation for alcohol-associated hepatitis
Claire Durkin1, Therese Bittermann1,2
1Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine.
Current Opinion in Organ Transplantation
|December 13, 2022
Summary
Early liver transplantation offers a lifesaving option for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis. Research is ongoing to refine selection criteria and post-transplant alcohol use disorder management for better outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Transplantation Surgery
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) refractory to medical treatment is a growing indication for liver transplantation.
- Early liver transplantation for AH is increasingly utilized, with significant practice variations across the United States.
Approach:
- This review synthesizes current evidence on liver transplantation for AH.
- It examines outcomes related to timing of transplantation, prior hepatic decompensation, and post-transplant alcohol use.
- The role of prediction algorithms for alcohol relapse risk is discussed.
Key Points:
- Early liver transplantation demonstrates a substantial survival benefit for patients with severe AH.
- Outcomes are improved with earlier transplantation, prior hepatic decompensation, and post-transplant abstinence or delayed relapse.
- Limited data exists on the effective treatment of alcohol use disorders in liver transplant recipients.
Conclusions:
- Liver transplantation is a viable, albeit controversial, intervention for severe AH, offering life-saving potential.
- Further research is crucial to assess long-term outcomes, optimize patient selection, and develop effective post-transplant alcohol use disorder treatments.
