Preoperative Ascites and/or Pleural Effusion Was a Predictor of Massive Albumin Use After Liver Transplantation

Abstract

Background: Albumin (Alb) is often administered for patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT). However, the current status of Alb use after LT is unclear. We examined the current status of postoperative Alb administration and factors associated with massive Alb use after LT. Methods: A total of 122 consecutive patients who underwent adult-to-adult LT between January 2013 and August 2017 were divided into 2 groups according to total amount of Alb used after LT: High group, Alb ≥ 1000 g; and Low group, Alb <1000 g. Characteristics of postoperative Alb use in living-donor LT (LDLT) and deceased donor LT (DDLT) were compared. Moreover, independent predictive factors for massive Alb administration after LDLT were analyzed. Results: The amount of postoperative Alb use did not differ between LDLT and DDLT. In the High group, days of Alb administration and maximum daily volume of ascites discharge were significantly higher, cases with preoperative ascites and/or pleural effusion were more frequent, incidences of cytomegalovirus infection and bacteremia were higher, and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio was longer compared with the Low group. Preoperative ascites and/or pleural effusion was an independent predictive factor before LT. Conclusion: Preoperative ascites and/or pleural effusion was a predictor of massive Alb use after LT.