(Press-News.org) Researchers report that low levels of sodium, known as hyponatremia, prior to transplantation does not increase the risk of death following liver transplant. Full findings are published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society.
Medical evidence shows that low sodium concentration is common in patients with end stage liver disease (ESLD), with roughly half of those with cirrhosis having sodium levels below the normal range of 135-145 mmol/L. Moreover, previous research suggests that hyponatremia is linked to complications including bacterial infections, kidney failure and encephalopathy, and increases mortality in patients with ESLD. Following liver transplantation sodium levels will return to normal.
"There is much debate within the transplant community about whether to incorporate measures of serum sodium in the organ allocation system in the U.S.," explains lead author Dr. W. Ray Kim from Stanford University in Calif., and formerly with the Mayo Clinic where the research took place. "Understanding the impact of sodium concentrations in patients prior to and following liver transplantation is an important contribution to this debate."
Using data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) researchers identified 19,537 patients 18 years of age or older who received a liver transplant in the U.S. between 2003 and 2010. Subjects were split into three groups: those with hyponatremia (sodium levels less than 130 mEq/L); normal sodium levels (serum sodium between131-145mEq/L); and hypernatremia (high sodium levels great than 145mEq/L).
"While our findings confirm that low sodium levels prior to transplant were a strong risk factor for waitlist mortality it was not associated with higher death risk following liver transplantation," concludes Dr. Kim. "Our data suggests that using serum sodium levels to determine organ allocation priority will not impact survival following a liver transplant."
INFORMATION:
This study is published in Liver Transplantation. Media wishing to receive a PDF of the article may contact sciencenewsroom@wiley.com
Full citation: "The Effect of Pretransplant Serum Sodium Concentration on Outcome Following Liver Transplantation." Michael D. Leise, Byung Cheol Yun, Joseph J. Larson, Joanne T. Benson, Ju DongYang, Terry M. Therneau, Charles B. Rosen, Julie K. Heimbach, Scott W. Biggins and W. Ray Kim.Liver Transplantation; (DOI: 10.1002/lt.23860).
URL: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1022/lt.23860
About the Journal
Liver Transplantation is published by Wiley on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society. Since the first application of liver transplantation in a clinical situation was reported more than twenty years ago, there has been a great deal of growth in this field and more is anticipated. As an official publication of the AASLD and the ILTS, Liver Transplantation delivers current, peer-reviewed articles on surgical techniques, clinical investigations and drug research — the information necessary to keep abreast of this evolving specialty. For more information, please visit http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/lt.
About Wiley
Wiley is a global provider of content-enabled solutions that improve outcomes in research, education, and professional practice. Our core businesses produce scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising; professional books, subscription products, certification and training services and online applications; and education content and services including integrated online teaching and learning resources for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners.
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa, JWb), has been a valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. Wiley and its acquired companies have published the works of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Peace. Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, with operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia. The Company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.
Low sodium levels pre-transplant does not affect liver transplant recipient survival
2014-04-01
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