Spleen transient elastography predicts actuarial survival after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND

Splenic transient elastography (TE) correlates with increased portal pressure. Little data are available in the post liver transplantation (LTx) setting.

METHODS

Three months after LTx, we performed splenic TE in 125 LTx recipients.

RESULTS

Mean splenic TE values were 29.4 (±6.3; range, 21.6-49.2) kPa. Splenic TE correlated with reduced time to development until persistent ascites (30 events, OR =1.082, 95% CI: 1.034-1.133; P=0.001), hepatorenal syndrome (8 events, OR =1.109, 95% CI: 1.015-1.211; P=0.022) and hepatic encephalopathy (16 events, OR =1.136, 95% CI: 1.066-1.211; P=0.000). In Cox univariate analysis, splenic TE served as a predictor of actuarial survival free of liver (OR =1.114, 95% CI: 1.050-1.182; P<0.001) and remained an independent risk factor associated with reduced actuarial survival free of LTx in multivariate analysis (OR =1.103, 95% CI: 1.026-1.186; P=0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Splenic TE measurement at 3 months after LTx serves as a robust predictor of survival in LTx recipients.