Joseph K. Lim

Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: Current concepts and length of sobriety

Key Points 1 The 1‐year and 5‐year actuarial survival rates following liver transplantation for patients with alcoholic liver disease are 82% and 68%, respectively, in the United States and 85% and 70%, respectively, in Europe. These survival rates are similar to the outcomes of patients who undergo transplantation for other types of chronic liver disease. 2 Posttransplant improvements in health‐related quality of life are similar in patients who undergo transplantation for alcoholic liver disease compared to those who undergo transplantation for other causes of end‐stage liver disease. 3 Approximately 20% of patients who undergo transplantation for alcoholic liver disease use alcohol posttransplant, with one‐third of these individuals exhibiting repetitive or heavy drinking. Surprisingly, little evidence exists to document a significant detrimental effect on graft or patient survival associated with resumption of drinking. 4 There are few reliable predictors of relapse in alcoholic patients after liver transplantation. Although not supported by all studies, abstinence of fewer than 6 months prior to transplantation may be a reasonable predictor of recidivism and is widely employed as a criterion for listing for liver transplantation. There are no good data to determine if some patients with sobriety fewer than 6 months might benefit from liver transplantation. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:S31–S38.)