PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF SOLUBLE CD40 LIGAND AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL AND HEREDITARY DISEASES OF HEPATOBILIARY SYSTEM

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate plasma levels of sCD40L in children before and after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and its prognostic value with postoperative course. The study included 67 children with end-stage liver disease (ESLD), aged from 4 to 36 months before and after LDLT, 25 healthy children aged from 7 to 24 months and 38 adult living-related liver donors, aged from 18 to 56 years. In children with ESLD pre-transplant plasma level of sCD40L (3.3 ± 2.2 ng/ml) did not differ in children with and without liver disease but were significantly higher in patients with end-stage liver disease than in donors (4.1 ± 2.3 ng/ml and 1.07 ± 1.1 ng/ml, resp., p < 0.01). Graft dysfunction frequency was significantly higher in recipients with high sCD40L level (≥3.3 ng/ml). A mea- surement of pre-transplant sCD40L concentrations might be useful to identify patients with ESLD at high risk for graft dysfunction development.

Keywords

• soluble cd40 ligand
• pediatric liver transplantation