Preoperative recipient data and immunosuppression levels are predictive of early patient survival after liver transplantation

The role of donor, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors in predicting patient survival after liver transplantation was evaluated by the Bio Medicus data package on a database containing 162 variables filled with records from 100 consecutive first-liver transplant cases. Donor data did not predict outcome. Recipient preoperative data (Child status, HCV status) were predictive using life table and Cox regression methods. Recipient intraoperative data (by-pass time, warm ischemia time, delay in arterial revascularization, and packed red blood cell requirements) were predictive of outcome using life table analysis. Recipient post-operative data (rejection, sepsis, primary dysfunction, and hepatic artery thrombosis) were predictive of outcome.