From August 1989 to May 1991, 52 patients with transfusion dependent thalassaemia major received L1 (1,2-dimethyl-3- hydroxypyrid-4-one), the oral iron chelator, for a period of 3-21 months (mean +/- SD: 14.2 +/- 6.8). Mean (+/- SD) urinary iron excretion varied from 6.2 +/- 4.6 mg/d on 25 mg/kg/d of L1 to 42.3 +/- 37.1 mg/d on 100 mg/kg/d of L1. Mean (+/- SD) drop in S ferritin was 1465 +/- 990 micrograms/l after 5.0 +/- 0.8 months to 3641.2 +/- 2299.3 micrograms/l after 20.1 +/- 0.9 months of therapy. There was no evidence of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, ear or eye toxicity. L1-related arthralgia, which was reversible on dose reduction or stoppage, was seen in 20 patients (38.5%), while minor gastrointestinal (GI) tract symptoms occurred in seven (3.5%) cases. We conclude that although L1 is an effective iron chelator, further studies are required to understand the mechanism of L1 related arthralgia and also to find a safer but effective dose on which incidence of L1 related arthralgia is minimal.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important cause of sepsis in patients with cirrhosis and after liver transplantation. The association between nasal carriage of MRSA and sepsis in these patients is unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between MRSA carriage before liver transplantation and subsequent sepsis after transplantation. This was a retrospective study of 374 consecutive adults who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation between 1998 and 2001 and for whom full data were available. Of these, 157 had been screened for MRSA as part of a study assessing the prevalence of MRSA infection. All MRSA carriers were treated with nasal mupirocin and chlorhexidine baths. The records of MRSA carriers and noncarriers were analyzed for Child and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, posttransplantation MRSA, and other infections and mortality. Of the 157 patients who had an MRSA screen, 35 patients were MRSA nasal carriers. These carriers had significantly greater MELD score (mean, 16.2 compared with 13.1; P ‫؍‬ .02) and Child scores (mean, 10 versus 9; P ‫؍‬ .001) than noncarriers. The incidence of posttransplantation MRSA infection was significantly higher in MRSA carriers (31% versus 9%; P ‫؍‬ .002). The incidence of other posttransplantation infection was not significantly different in the two groups. There was no significant difference in survival between the two groups (1-year patient survival, 74% and 82%, respectively). Patients carrying MRSA are predisposed to an increased risk of sepsis after liver transplantation with a trend to increased mortality. Screening for MRSA should be considered in high-risk patients being assessed for liver transplantation. (Liver Transpl 2003;9: 754-759.)

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Asian patients with cirrhosis do have evidence of diastolic dysfunction. Cardiac structural and functional parameters did not correlate with the severity of liver dysfunction. Cardiac dysfunction seemed to be the consequence of cirrhosis itself, rather than of alcohol.

The MELD score was not found to be superior to CTP score and modified CTP score for short-term prognostication of patients with cirrhosis in this study.