Liver Transplant Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Liver Transplant, including details on risks, prognosis, procedure, surgery, organ donation.

Effect of perioperative steroids on renal function after liver transplantation.

Turner S, Dhamarajah S, Bosomworth M, Bellamy MC,

Lecturer, Academic Unit of Anaesthesia, St James's University Hospital, Leeds. LS9 7TF, UK.

Subclinical renal dysfunction is thought to occur as a systemic manifestation of ischaemia-reperfusion injury of other organs. Liver transplantation is associated with major ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Thirty-four patients undergoing elective liver transplantation were randomly allocated to receive either saline or 10 mg.kg(-1) methylprednisolone on induction of anaesthesia. Urine was taken for N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, creatinine and other markers of tubular function. Serum chemistry was measured for 7 days. Creatinine concentration increased in the saline group but not in the methylprednisolone group (p < 0.0001), with the greatest difference on the third postoperative day (mean (SD) 164.8 (135.8) mumol.l(-1)vs 88.5 (39.4) mumol.l(-1), respectively). Similar changes were seen in postoperative alanine transferase (865 (739) U.l(-1)vs 517 (608) U.l(-1), respectively; p < 0.0001) on the second postoperative day. Both groups exhibited increases in markers of renal tubular dysfunction and of glomerular permeability. Patients in the saline group sustained more adverse events (8/17 (47%) vs 2/17 (12%); p = 0.02). The data confirm increased proximal tubular lysosomal turnover, consistent with an increased tubular protein load, following liver transplantation, and suggest that methylprednisolone protects against renal and hepatic dysfunction.

Published 16 February 2006 in Anaesthesia, 61(3): 253-9.
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