Strategies to reduce infectious complication using epidemiologic data analysis in liver transplant recipients

Background Infectious complications are major factors for morbidity and mortality in liver transplant recipients. To establish a proper strategy to reduce infectious complications, we analyzed epidemiologic and risk factors for post-transplant infections. Methods We analyzed the medical records of 231 consecutive liver transplant recipients from December 2007 to November 2011, including at least 1-year follow up, for comparison with those from 1996 to 2005. Results Among 231 patients, 126 (54.5%) experienced 244 infectious episodes, a rate of 1.05 per patient. Among overall mortality of 9.9% (23/231), infections were more prevalent (P =.04). Predominant infections were postoperative intra-abdominal problems (36.1%), peritonitis (15.2%), pneumonia (13.5%), bacteremia (4.1%), wound complications (1.6%), viral etiologies (18.0%), and other causes (11.5%). Causative organisms were bacterial (68.9%), viral (14.7%), fungal (7.0%), and unproven ones (9.4%). Multivariate analysis of risks for infection showed significant impacts of Model for End-stage Liver Disease score [P =.027; odds ratio (OR), 1.04], post-transplant biliary complications (P <.001; OR, 3.50), and rejection episodes (P =.023; OR, 3.39). Mortality was related to retransplantation (P =.003), post-transplant dialysis (P =.006), and infection (P =.056) upon univariate analysis, none of which were significant in multivariate analysis. Compared with data from the previous period, overall and infection-related mortality decreased from 24.5% to 9.9% and 52.9% to 26.1%, respectively. There were no significant changes in the types of infection or rate of drug-resistant bacteria, but candidal infections and cytomegalovirus reactivations were more prevalent. Conclusion Our data showed current perioperative antimicrobial regimens need not be changed: however, new strategies are needed to reduce infectious complications after liver transplantation, to reduce biliary complications and to properly manage rejection episodes.