Liver transplantation is beneficial regardless of cirrhosis stage or acute-on-chronic liver failure grade: A single-center experience

BACKGROUND: Liver transplantation for the most critically ill remains controversial; however, it is currently the only curative treatment option. AIM: To assess immediate posttransplant outcomes and compare the short (1 year) and long-term (6 years) posttransplant survival among cirrhotic patients stratified by disease severity. METHODS: We included cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation between 2015 and 2019 and categorized them into compensated cirrhosis (CC), decompensated cirrhosis (DC), and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). ACLF was further divided into severity grades. Our primary outcomes of interest were total days of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, development of complications and posttransplant survival at 1 and 6 years. RESULTS: 235 patients underwent liver transplantation (CC = 11, DC = 129 and ACLF = 95). Patients with ACLF had a significantly longer hospital stay [8.0 (6.0-13.0) vs CC, 6.0 (3.0-7.0), and DC 7.0 (4.5-10.0); P = 0.01] and developed more infection-related complications [47 (49.5%), vs CC, 1 (9.1%) and DC, 38 (29.5%); P < 0.01]. Posttransplant survival at 1- and 6-years was similar among groups (P = 0.60 and P = 0.90, respectively). ACLF patients stratified according to ACLF grade [ACLF-1 n = 40 (42.1%), ACLF-2 n = 33 (34.7%) and ACLF-3 n = 22 (23.2%)], had similar ICU and hospital stay length (P = 0.68, P = 0.54), as well as comparable frequencies of overall and infectious post-transplant complications (P = 0.58, P = 0.80). There was no survival difference between ACLF grades at 1 year and 6 years (P = 0.40 and P = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Patients may benefit from liver transplantation regardless of the cirrhosis stage. ACLF patients have a longer hospital stay and frequency of infectious complications; however, excellent, and comparable 1 and 6-year survival rates support their enlisting and transplantation including those with ACLF-3.