Additive effect of pretransplant obesity, diabetes, and... : Liver Transplantation (original) (raw)

Original Articles

Additive effect of pretransplant obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular risk factors on outcomes after liver transplantation

Dare, Anna J.1; Plank, Lindsay D.1; Phillips, Anthony R. J.1, 2, 4; Gane, Edward J.4; Harrison, Barry4; Orr, David4; Jiang, Yannan3; Bartlett, Adam S. J. R.1, 2, 4

1_Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand_

2_Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand_

3_Department of Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand_

4_New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand_

Received 7 June 2013; Accepted 7 November 2013

Address reprint requests to Adam S. J. R. Bartlett, M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., F.R.A.C.S., New Zealand Liver Transplant Unit, Auckland City Hospital, Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand. Telephone: +64 9 3074949 or +64 212414647; FAX: +64 9 3754345; E-mail: [email protected]

See Editorial on Page 253

This work was supported by the University of Auckland Postgraduate Research Fund.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract

The effects of pretransplant obesity, diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary artery disease (CAD), and hypertension (HTN) on outcomes after liver transplantation (LT) are controversial. Questions have also been raised about the appropriateness of the body mass index (BMI) for assessing obesity in patients with end-stage liver disease. Both issues have implications for organ allocation in LT. To address these questions, we undertook a cohort study of 202 consecutive patients (2000-2010) undergoing LT at a national center in New Zealand. BMI and body fat percentage (%BF) values (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured before transplantation, and the methods were compared. The influence of pretransplant risk variables (including obesity, DM, CAD, and HTN) on the 30-day postoperative event rate, length of hospital stay, and survival were analyzed. There was agreement between the calculated BMI and the measured %BF for 86.0% of the study population (κ coefficient = 0.73, 95% confidence interval = 0.61-0.85), and this was maintained across increasing Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scores. Obesity was an independent risk factor for the postoperative event rate [count ratio (CR) = 1.03, P < 0.001], as was DM (CR = 1.4, P < 0.001). Obesity with concomitant DM was the strongest predictor of the postoperative event rate (CR = 1.75, P < 0.001) and a longer hospital stay (5.81 days, P < 0.01). Independent metabolic risk factors had no effect on 30-day, 1-year, or 5-year patient survival. In conclusion, BMI is an adequate tool for assessing obesity-associated risk in LT. Early post-LT morbidity is highest for patients with concomitant obesity and DM, although these factors do not appear to influence recipient survival. Liver Transpl 20:281-290, 2014. © 2014 AASLD.