scholarly journals Prioritization for liver transplantation

Author(s):  
V. L. Korobka ◽  
M. Y. Kostrykin ◽  
V. D. Passetchnikov ◽  
E. S. Pak

Objective: to determine the threshold MELD scores when prioritizing for liver transplantation. Materials and methods. We conducted a cohort study of 350 patients who were waitlisted for liver transplantation between 2015 and 2020. Results. A logistic regression model was used to identify the independent predictors of liver transplantation waitlist mortality. MELD scores and serum albumin at the time of listing were significant predictors of mortality (p = 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively). Their predictive values were confirmed using ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) analysis. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.883 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.828–0.939; p < 0.001] for MELD, and 0.841 [95% CI 0.775–0.907; p < 0.001] for serum albumin. Mortality odds ratio was 3.7778, 95% CI (1.619–7.765) provided that the listing MELD score was ≥25. Mortality odds ratio was 2.979 (95% CI 1.63–5.95) provided that the listing serum albumin concentration was ≤30.1 g/L. With a threshold MELD score of 25, there were significant differences between patient survival when comparing patient cohorts with MELD ≥25 and with MELD ≤25 (Log-rank, p < 0.0001). Conclusion. The MELD model has a high predictive ability in prioritization of waitlisted candidates for liver transplantation. The threshold MELD score and mortality predictors were determined. There were significant differences between patient survival among patient cohorts with MELD ≥25 and with MELD ≤25.

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 541-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sung Hee Chung ◽  
Won Suk Chu ◽  
Hyun Ah Lee ◽  
Yong Hwa Kim ◽  
In Sang Lee ◽  
...  

Objective To evaluate the influence of initial peritoneal transport rate, serum albumin concentration, and comorbid diseases on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient survival. Design A prospective single-center study with a long-term follow-up. Patients A total of 213 consecutive CAPD patients, who underwent a peritoneal equilibration test (PET) at a mean of 7 days (range 3 – 30 days) after beginning CAPD, were included in this study. One hundred twenty patients were male, 116 patients had comorbid diseases, and mean age was 49.5 years (range 18 – 76 years). Methods A modified PET was performed using 4.25% glucose dialysis solution. Based on the dialysate-to-plasma creatinine concentration ratio at 4 hours’ dwell (D4/P4 Cr, 0.62 ± 0.14), patients were divided into high (H), high-average (HA), low-average (LA), or low (L) transporters. Results Of 213 patients, 16.9% were classified as H transporters, 30.5% as HA, 36.6% as LA, and 16.0% as L transporters. The H transporter group had a higher proportion of men, higher proportion of patients with comorbid diseases, lower initial serum albumin concentration, lower D4/D0 glucose, and lower drained volume. The initial D4/P4 Cr correlated with initial serum albumin ( r = –0.35, p < 0.001). The patients with comorbid diseases had lower initial serum albumin and higher initial D4/P4 Cr. On Kaplan–Meier analysis, 2-year patient survival of group H was significantly lower compared to the other groups combined (57.1% vs 79.5%, p = 0.009). On Cox proportional hazards analysis, age, comorbid diseases, initial serum albumin concentration, and initial D4/P4 Cr were found to be independent risk factors for mortality. However, in the patients without comorbid diseases, patient survival was not different between group H and the other transport groups combined ( p > 0.05), and only age was found to be an independent risk factor for mortality. Conclusion These data suggest that a high peritoneal transport rate at initial PET is associated with high mortality, and that this is in part due to an increased prevalence of comorbid disease in H transporters. These H transporters with comorbid diseases represent a subset of patients with an especially poor prognosis. In patients without comorbid diseases, high transport status or low serum albumin concentration was not an independent risk factor for mortality.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megersso Urgessa

Abstract Background: Different tools have been used to perform a nutritional screening and assessment, and MNA is one of the widely used and recommended tools in the geriatrics population. MNA has two forms, long and short. However, MNA short-forms have not been evaluated in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate MNA short form against serum albumin concentration among Ethiopian elders.Methods: One hundred and seventy-six randomly selected elders entered into the community-based cross-sectional validation study. Amputated, bedridden, those with visible deformity were excluded. Original MNA questionnaires were translated to Afan Oromo and Amharic languages. All translated and pretested MNA questionnaires were administered to each participant. The anthropometrics and serum albumin concentration were measured. Reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC-curve) analysis was plotted for MNA, to identify the area under the curve (AUC) and optimal cut-off value for prediction of malnutrition.Result: Strong association between serum albumin concentration score and MNA-short form score indicated by spearman’s rank correlation coefficients of BMI-MNA-SF 0.526,p <0.05 and CC-MNA-SF 0.501, P<0.05. Similar the agreement between the long and short form of MNA was found to be a weighted kappa 0.404(0.288, 0.521) for BMI-MNA-SF and 0.426(0.333, 0.519) for CC-MNA-SF at 95% CI. These values indicate moderate agreement with the serum albumin concentration. There is very good agreement between the BMI-MNA-SF and CC-MNA-SF 0.400(0.322, 0.478). Also, high power to identify two categories using serum albumin concentration as golden standard with AUC for BMI –MNA-SF 0.789 (0.722-0.855) and 0.791 (0.726-0.857) for CC-MNA-SF at 95% CI. Diagnostic accuracy for BMI-MNA-SF showed that 37.1% sensitivity, 90.8% specificity, 58.5% PPV, and 80.5% NPV. Similar sensitivity 77.5%, specificity of 64.4% PPV 73.7%, and 69.0%, NPV for CC-MNA-SF. Total Diagnostic accuracy for BMI-MNA-SF 63.64%, and 71.02% for CC-MNA-SF.Conclusion: Both versions of MNA-SF were found to be valid screening tools in the Ethiopian elders against serum albumin concentration.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dabing Huang ◽  
Yinan Shen ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Chengxiang Guo ◽  
Tingbo Liang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although criteria for liver transplantation, such as the Milan criteria and Hangzhou experiences, have become popular, criteria to guide adjuvant therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation are lacking. Methods We collected data from all consecutive patients from 2012 to 2019 at three liver transplantation centers in China retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to analyze preoperative parameters, such as demographic and clinical data. Using data obtained in our center, calibration curves and the concordance Harrell’s C-indices were used to establish the final model. The validation cohort comprised the patients from the other centers. Results Data from 233 patients were used to construct the nomogram. The validation cohort comprised 36 patients. Independent predictors of overall survival (OS) were identified as HbeAg positive (P = 0.044), blood-type compatibility unmatched (P = 0.034), liver transplantation criteria (P = 0.003), and high MELD score (P = 0.037). For the validation cohort, to predict OS, the C-index of the nomogram was 0.874. Based on the model, patients could be assigned into low-risk (≥ 50%), intermediate-risk (30–50%), and high-risk (≤ 30%) groups to guide adjuvant therapy after surgery and to facilitate personalized management. Conclusions The OS in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation could be accurately predicted using the developed nomogram.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 388
Author(s):  
Tatsunori Satoh ◽  
Masataka Kikuyama ◽  
Keiko Sasaki ◽  
Hirotoshi Ishiwatari ◽  
Shinya Kawaguchi ◽  
...  

An appropriate diagnosis is required to avoid unnecessary surgery for gallbladder cholesterol polyps (GChPs) and to appropriately treat pedunculated gallbladder carcinomas (GCs). Generally, polyps >10 mm are regarded as surgical candidates. We retrospectively evaluated plain and contrast-enhanced (CE) computed tomography (CT) findings and histopathological features of 11 early GCs and 10 GChPs sized 10–30 mm to differentiate between GC and GChP >10 mm and determine their histopathological background. Patient characteristics, including polyp size, did not significantly differ between groups. All GCs and GChPs were detected on CE-CT; GCs were detected more often than GChPs on plain CT (73% vs 9%; p < 0.01). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy for GCs were 73%, 90%, 89%, 75%, and 81%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, lesion detectability on plain CT was independently associated with GCs (odds ratio, 27.1; p = 0.044). Histopathologically, GChPs consisted of adipose tissue. Although larger vessel areas in GCs than in GChPs was not significant (52,737 μm2 vs 31,906 μm2; p = 0.51), cell densities were significantly greater in GCs (0.015/μm2 vs 0.0080/μm2; p < 0.01). Among GPs larger than 10 mm, plain CT could contribute to differentiating GCs from GChPs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1005
Author(s):  
Edoardo Lenci ◽  
Luca Cantini ◽  
Federica Pecci ◽  
Valeria Cognigni ◽  
Veronica Agostinelli ◽  
...  

Background: The Gustave Roussy Immune (GRIm)-Score takes into account neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), serum albumin concentration and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and its prognostic value has been investigated in patients treated with immune check-point inhibitors (ICIs). To further assess the prognostic and predictive value of baseline GRIm-Score (GRImT0) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) patients, we separately investigated two cohorts of patients treated with first-line pembrolizumab or chemotherapy. We also investigated whether GRIm-Score at 45 days since treatment initiation (GRImT1) and GRIm-Score difference between the two timepoints may better predict clinical outcomes (GRImΔ = GRImT0 − GRImT1). Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 222 aNSCLC patients: 135 treated with pembrolizumab and 87 treated with chemotherapy as the first-line regimen. NLR, serum albumin and LDH concentrations were assessed at T0 and at T1. According to the GRIm-Score, patients were assigned 1 point if they had NLR > 6, LDH > upper limit normal or albumin < 3.5 g/dL. Patients with a GRIm-Score < 2 were considered as having a low Score. Results: In both cohorts, no difference in terms of overall survival (OS) between patients with low and high GRImT0 was found. Otherwise, median OS and progression free survival (PFS) of the low GRImT1 group were significantly longer than those of the high GRImT1 group in pembrolizumab-treated patients, but not in the CHT cohort (pembrolizumab cohort: low vs. high; median OS not reached vs. 9.2 months, p = 0.004; median PFS 10.8 vs. 2.3 months, p = 0.002). Patients receiving pembrolizumab with stable/positive GRImΔ had better OS (median OS not reached vs. 12.0 months, p < 0.001), PFS (median PFS 20.6 vs. 2.6 months, p < 0.001) and objective response rate (58.2% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.003) compared to patients with negative GRImΔ. Conclusion: Our data shown that GRImT1 and GRImΔ are more reliable peripheral blood biomarkers of outcome compared to GRImT0 in aNSCLC patients treated with pembrolizumab and might represent useful biomarkers to drive clinical decisions in this setting.


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