Histocompatibility and liver transplantation. Discussion

Background. The role of histocompatibility between donor and recipient in liver transplant rejection is unclear because of a paucity of data. The influence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type on immunologic graft loss was examined for primary liver transplantations performed at this center. Methods. Immunologic graft loss included patient death or retransplantation as a result of rejection or impending graft loss caused by either late hepatic artery thrombosis or severe, unremitting rejection requiring FK 506 rescue therapy. HLA A, B, and DR matching was available on 205 donor-recipient combinations, and an additional 31 patients had A and B matching only