Background: Prediction of prognosis after liver transplantation (OLT) remains difficult. The present study determines if standard laboratory parameters measured within the first week after OLT correlate with outcome.
Patients and methods: Laboratory parameters measured within the first weak after OLT of 328 patients were grouped either graft loss or death within 90 days after (group 1: graft loss; group 2: death; group 3: neither graft loss nor death within 90 days).
Results: Peak AST and ALT were significantly lower in group 3 (1867 and 1252 U/L) than in group 1 (4474 and 2077 U/L) or 2 (3121 and 1865 U/L). Bilirubin was significantly lower and gamma-GT significantly higher in group 3 compared to groups 1 and 2. In multivariate analysis, high AST peaks were independently associated with death or graft loss within 90 days. An increase in gamma-GT and low bilirubin early after transplantation were found to be independently associated with superior outcome.
Discussion: Unexpectedly, a disproportionate rise in gamma-GT was associated with graft and patient survival of more than 90 days. This might be explained by regeneration phenomena in the liver indicative of a well functioning graft.