Risk factors for alcohol relapse after liver transplantation for alcoholic cirrhosis in Japan

Abstract

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) is an established indication for liver transplantation (LT). Most LT procedures in Japan are living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) because of an extreme shortage of deceased donors. Social circumstances enabling LDLT could be favorable for preventing relapse. The aims of this retrospective study were to analyze the outcomes of LDLT for ALC and to evaluate risk factors for relapse in this cohort. One hundred ninety-five subjects underwent LT [LDLT (n 5 187), deceased donor LT (n 5 5), or domino LT (n 5 3)] for ALC in Japan from November 1997 to December 2011. Risk factors for alcohol relapse and the impact of relapse on outcomes were analyzed for 140 patients after the exclusion of 26 patients who died in the hospital and 29 patients without information about alcohol relapse. The incidence of alcohol consumption after LT was 22.9%. The risk factors for patient survival were a donor age 50 years (P < 0.01) and a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score 19 (P 5 0.03). The 10-year patient survival rates were 21.9% and 73.8% for patients who had relapsed and patients who had not relapsed 18 months after LT, respectively (P 5 0.01). The relapse rates were 50.0%, 34.5%, 13.3%, 19.7%, and 14.3% for patients who had received livers from parents, siblings, spouses, sons/daughters, and deceased or domino donors, respectively. A history of treatment for psychological diseases other than alcoholism before LT was a significant indicator for the risk of recidivism (P 5 0.02), and noncompliance with clinic visits after LT and smoking after transplantation were promising indicators for the risk of recidivism (P 5 0.06, and P 5 0.05, respectively). Preoperative alcohol consumption was not a risk factor. In conclusion, rather than selecting patients on the basis of preoperative alcohol use, we should provide sociomedical support to improve adherence after LT for ALC in Japan. Liver Transpl 20:298-310, 2014. V C 2013 AASLD.

Liver Transplantation for Alcohol-Related Liver Disease

“…Several larger studies evaluating rate of relapse and factors predicting relapse after liver transplantation are shown in Table 1, the relapse rate varies from 16% to 42% and harmful relapse rate varies from 10% to 18%. 11,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Various factors found to predictive of post-transplant alcohol relapse are shown in Table 2. Following variables have been shown to be associated with risk of post-transplant alcohol relapse: absence of structured management program pretransplant, length of pretransplant sobriety, alcohol or other substance dependence, prior alcohol rehabilitation, poor social support/lack of partner, poor psychosomatic prognosis or psychiatric comorbidity, female sex, patients' nonacceptance of having an alcohol problem before LT, continued alcohol use after liver disease diagnosis, low motivation for alcohol treatment, and presence of a first-degree relative with alcohol abuse in family.…”

“…Following variables have been shown to be associated with risk of post-transplant alcohol relapse: absence of structured management program pretransplant, length of pretransplant sobriety, alcohol or other substance dependence, prior alcohol rehabilitation, poor social support/lack of partner, poor psychosomatic prognosis or psychiatric comorbidity, female sex, patients' nonacceptance of having an alcohol problem before LT, continued alcohol use after liver disease diagnosis, low motivation for alcohol treatment, and presence of a first-degree relative with alcohol abuse in family. 11,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Pretransplant sobriety predicting absence of alcohol relapse after liver transplant is not a universal finding. 11,15,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Scoring systems also have been proposed to predict post-transplant alcohol relapse.…”

“…11,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Pretransplant sobriety predicting absence of alcohol relapse after liver transplant is not a universal finding. 11,15,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Scoring systems also have been proposed to predict post-transplant alcohol relapse. In a study of 118 patients by Rodrigue et al, 31 the authors advised a scoring system (Alcohol Relapse Risk Assessment) to predict risk of relapse.…”

“…The authors found lower relapse rates in patients whose parents or siblings were donors. 33 Kawaguchi et al published a small single-center study of 13 patients of whom 1 had relapse to alcohol. This study followed a 6-month abstinence rule and participation in a rehabilitation program, psychiatric consultation, and written agreement declaring an intention of lifetime abstinence.…”

“…Several larger studies evaluating rate of relapse and factors predicting relapse after liver transplantation are shown in Table 1, the relapse rate varies from 16% to 42% and harmful relapse rate varies from 10% to 18%. 11,[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Various factors found to predictive of post-transplant alcohol relapse are shown in …”