Description

Harlt et al studied patients who had a liver transplant for alcoholic cirrhosis and identified risk factors for relapse. These factors can help to identify patients who may benefit from more aggressive counseling. The authors are from University Hospital Regensburg in Germany.


 

Patient selection: liver transplant for alcohol-induced cirrhosis

 

Risk factors for alcohol recidivism:

(1) alcohol abstinence less than 3 months prior to the liver transplant

(2) not accepting that s/he has an alcohol problem

 

where:

• The period of abstinence prior to the transplant is affected by the severity of the liver disease. Rapidly progressive liver disease may preclude a long period of abstinence prior to a transplant.

 

These 2 risk factors included in the risk groups of Gish et al (18.16.18, above)

 


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