Prognosis for patients with chronic diseases of the liver in formulating indications to orthotopic liver transplantation

Aim. To analyse a clinical course of hepatic cirrhosis of various etiology in potential recipients of donor liver; to formulate symptom complex which determines life span prognosis in patients with chronic diffuse diseases of the liver (CDDL). Material and methods. We studied 74 recipients of the liver (73 adults aged 15-58 years and 1 boy aged 13 years, mean age at liver transplantation 27.04 ± 1.5 years, 41% males, 59% females). Orthotopic transplantation of the liver (OTL) was made from a live relative donor. All the patients have undergone clinical, biochemical, immunological, virological, ultrasonic, x-ray and other examinations. Severity of the patients condition was assessed according to the Child-Pugh classification. Indications to transplantation of the liver were formulated basing on the syndromal approach. Results. Asthenic syndrome was diagnosed in 34, pruritus - in 25, articular syndrome - in 11, jaundice - in 43, hepatomegaly - in 40, splenomegaly - in 65, ascitis - in 26, peripheral edema - in 8, esophageal varicose veins - in 66, encephalopathy - in 5 patients. Main syndrome manifestations of CDDL involved in formulating indications for liver transplantation consisted in the syndrome of liver cell insufficiency (diagnosed in 77% cases), syndrome of portal hypertension (detected in 100% cases), edemo-ascitic syndrome (41% cases), cholestasis syndrome (95% cases), autoimmune cytopenia syndrome (77% cases), hepatorenal syndrome (5.4%). Most of potential recipients who had liver transplantation were classified as having class B and C by Child-Pugh (66.3%), but often indications for OTL were considered in terms of a combination of various syndromes significant for life prognosis in each patient and in terms of urgency of OTL performance. Conclusion. In determination of indications for OTL syndromal approach seems most adequate. Main syndromes influencing primarily on OTL decision making are portal hypertension with consideration of esophageal varicose veins, syndrome of hepatic cell deficiency, edemoascytic syndrome, hepatorenal syndrome, syndrome of autoimmune cytopenia and cholestasis.