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Living‐donor liver transplantation for autoimmune hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis–primary biliary cirrhosis overlap syndrome
Author(s) -
Yamashiki Noriyo,
Sugawara Yasuhiko,
Tamura Sumihito,
Kaneko Junichi,
Takazawa Yutaka,
Aoki Taku,
Hasegawa Kiyoshi,
Sakamoto Yoshihiro,
Koike Kazuhiko,
Kokudo Norihiro
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/j.1872-034x.2012.01018.x
Subject(s) - autoimmune hepatitis , medicine , primary biliary cirrhosis , gastroenterology , overlap syndrome , liver transplantation , aspartate transaminase , liver biopsy , hepatitis , alanine transaminase , cirrhosis , liver function tests , transplantation , liver function , biopsy , disease , alkaline phosphatase , biochemistry , chemistry , enzyme
Aim: Recurrent autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) following liver transplantation has been reported in 20–30% of cases, mainly of Western populations. The aim of this study was to review our experience of living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in Japanese patients with AIH. Methods: Among 375 adult (age ≥18 years) LDLT performed at our center between 1996 and 2010, 16 (4.2%) were for patients with AIH ( n = 12) or AIH–primary biliary cirrhosis overlap syndrome ( n = 4). The patient and donor characteristics and post‐transplantation course were reviewed. Results: All recipients were female with a median age of 48 years (range, 21–58). Low‐dose methylprednisolone and calcineurin inhibitors were continued in all patients. Acute cellular rejection occurred in 10 (63%), which was more frequent than in our overall series of 28.5% (107/375 cases). Overall survival rate was 81.2% at 5 years. At the end of the follow up (median, 6.0 years [range, 0.1–9.6]), 13 patients were alive with normal liver function tests (aspartate transaminase, 18 ± 5 IU/mL; alanine transaminase, 16 ± 8 IU/mL). None of the survivors exhibited liver function test results suspicious for recurrent AIH, which might indicate liver biopsy. Conclusion: Survival after LDLT for AIH and overlap syndrome was excellent and there was no evidence of clinical recurrence. The recurrence rate of AIH after liver transplantation may differ among countries, and requires further investigation.