The predictive value of blood parameters in patients with end-stage liver cirrhosis following ABO incompatible liver transplantation

Abstract

Background: The study was designed to assess the role of preoperative neutrophil, lymphocyte, and neutrophil?lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting survival outcomes of ABO?incompatible liver transplantation (LT). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively collected the demographic and clinical  characteristics of 71 patients with end?stage liver cirrhosis following ABO?incompatible LT in this study. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox multiple factors regression analysis were performed to determine the independent risk factors from preoperative blood parameters for poor prognosis. Results: The 1?, 3?, and 5?year overall survival were 94.9%, 80.0%, and  80.0% in the normal NLR group, respectively, and 59.4%,55,4%, and 55.4% in patients with up?regulated NLR, respectively (P = 0.001). Furthermore, no significant difference was observed on post?LT complications between normal NLR and high?NLR groups. The high NLR was identified as the only independent prognostic risk factor for recipient survival (P = 0.015, 95% confidence  interval = 3.573 [1.284–9.943]). Conclusion: The preoperative high NLR could be considered as a convenient and available indicator for selecting ABO?incompatible LT candidates.

Key words: ABO?incompatible liver transplantation, hepatitis B, liver failure, neutrophil?lymphocyte ratio