Vildan Avkan-Oguz

Risk Factors for Early Bacterial Infections in Liver Transplantation

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to determine perioperative risk factors for early bacterial infection after liver transplantation. METHODS Retrospectively examining medical records using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definitions to identify nosocomial infections, we analyzed data on 367 adult patients. RESULTS The incidence of infection was 37.3% (n = 137): namely, surgical site (n = 74; 20.2%) [corrected], blood stream (n = 64; 17.4%), pulmonary (n = 49; 13.4%), urinary system (n = 26; 7.1%). Significant risk factors within the first 30 days were as follows: deceased donor, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) >20, albumin level <2.8 g/dL, intraoperative erythrocyte transfusion >6 U, intraoperative fresh frozen plasma >12 U, bilioenteric anastomosis, postoperative intensive care unit stay >6 days, and postoperative length of stay >21 days. Significant risk factors detected within the first 90 days were as follows: MELD >20, preoperative length of stay >7 days, reoperation, postoperative length of intensive care unit stay >6 days, and postoperative length of stay >21 days. Variability was observed in risk factors according to localization of infection. As a result, except for MELD, type of donor, and biliary anastomosis, the others are preventable factors for early bacterial infection. In addition, the same risk factors showed variability according to the site of infection.

Evaluation of species distribution and risk factors of candidemia: A multicenter case-control study

This study was planned to determine the risk factors of candidemia, and the most common Candida species causing bloodstream infections. A case-control study which included adult patients was conducted over a 1-year period at tertiary-care educational hospitals in Turkey. A total of 83 candidemia episodes were identified during the study period. Candida albicans was the most common species recovered (45.8%) followed by Candida tropicalis (24.1%) Candida parapsilosis (14.5%) and Candida glabrata which was isolated from only four (4.8%) patients. Presence of a urethral catheter (odds ratio [OR] 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-5.19; P = 0.02), previous use of antibiotics (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.05-6.46; P = 0.03), RBC transfusions (OR 2.14; 95% CI 1.16-3.94; P = 0.01) and parenteral nutrition (OR 4.44; 95% CI 2.43-8.11; P < 0.01) were found as independent risk factors for candidemia. TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) was an independent risk factor for both C. albicans and non-Candida albicans Candida species (P < 0.001). Most of the risk factors were invasive procedures and former medications. We conclude that a great number of candidemia cases are preventable by means of reduction of unnecessary invasive procedures and the use of antimicrobials.

Risk of infection in health care workers following occupational exposure to a noninfectious or unknown source

BACKGROUND The major concern after occupational exposures is the possible transmission of blood-borne pathogens, especially hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study was undertaken to evaluate the risk of infection after exposure to blood or body fluids of an unknown or an HBV-, HCV-, and HIV-negative source and to determine the epidemiologic characteristics of these incidents in health care workers. METHODS The survey was conducted over a 6-year period at a university hospital in Turkey, using a questionnaire to elicit demographic and epidemiologic information. Serologic tests for HBV, HCV, and HIV were performed and repeated after 3 months. RESULTS Of the 449 incidents, complete follow-up was achieved in 320 (71.3%), and no seroconversion was observed for HBV, HCV and HIV. Most of the incidents occurred in medical (34.7%) and surgical (25.4%) work areas. The most frequent type of exposure was percutaneous injury (94%), most commonly caused by handling of garbage bags (58.4%), needle recapping (16.5%), and invasive interventions (13.4%). CONCLUSION Infection risk seems to be extremely low for HCV and HIV, because of low endemicity, and for HBV in groups immunized against HBV.

Acute Renal Injury Evaluation after Liver Transplantation: With RIFLE Criteria

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to identify acute renal injury (ARI) through the use of RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss, end-stage kidney disease) criteria and to investigate perioperative risk factors for ARI in liver transplantation (LT). METHODS We reviewed medical records of adult LT patients retrospectively. Postoperative ARI was staged with RIFLE criteria by the 1st and 7th days of the surgery. RESULTS We analyzed 440 adult LT patients, categorized as risk (R), injury (I), or failure (F) according to the RIFLE criteria. In this study, in the first postoperative day, incidence of ARI was 7.95%; all of them were R-class, and, on the 7th day, the incidence of ARI was 7.27%, as R-class 6.59% and I-class 0.68%. Significant risk factors were detected within the first postoperative day including pre-operative hemoglobin levels <9 g/dL (P = .019), intra-operative transfusion of red blood cells (RBCs) (P = .049) and fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) (P = .049), blood loss (P = .011), and post-reperfusion syndrome (P = .023). Multivariate analysis revealed risk factors for ARI as RBCs (odds ratio [OR], 1.049; P = .247) and FFP (OR, 1.017; P = .627) transfusion and blood loss (OR, 1.000; P = .021) (blood loss OR: 0.9996952300184; 95% confidence interval: 0.9994356774026 to 0.999548500399). The only significant risk factor for the 7th postoperative day was the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (>20) (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that RBC and FFP transfusion, perioperative blood loss, and MELD score >20 are risk factors for LT-related ARI. Also normalization of hemoglobin levels with non-blood products in patients with preoperative low hemoglobin levels can diminish the need for RBC and that can prevent ARI.

Incidence of Late Acute Rejection in Living Donor Liver Transplant Patients, Risk Factors, and the Role of Immunosuppressive Drugs.

INTRODUCTION Late acute rejection (LAR) is a clinical manifestation that occurs 6 months after liver transplantation, shows histopathologic features different from those of acute rejection, and is the cause of a high prevalence of morbidity and mortality. METHODS In this study, hospital records of 211 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) patients who underwent surgery in our clinic between June 2000 and February 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were ≥ 18 years old and were followed for ≥ 6 months. RESULTS Of the 211 patients, 21 (9.9%; 16 males, 5 females) developed LAR. The mean age of the patients was 46 years (range, 33-58). The mean follow-up period was 61.2 months (range, 6-152) and the median time to development of LAR was 26.4 months (range, 7-77). In our study, patients who received cyclosporine and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) treatment developed more LAR than did patients who received tacrolimus and MMF therapy (P = .05). In addition, the incidence of LAR in patients who underwent LDLT was significantly greater in the ABO-matched groups than in the ABO identical group (P = .028). CONCLUSIONS Development of LAR and serious complications related to it can be avoided if liver transplant recipients are followed regularly and closely in outpatient clinics after transplantation.

Risk Factors and Prevalence for Candidemia in Liver TransplantRecipients without Antifungal Prophylaxis, 10-Year Follow-Up

Objective: Candidemia rates in liver transplant recipients (LTRs) differs from center to center, geographic locations and type of solid organ transplantation. We aimed to investigate the risk factors and prevalence of candidemia in adult LTRs in our center. Methods: Between January 2003 and December 2012, microbiological and clinical data of adult (>18 years) LTRs were searched from mycology laboratory and patients? records retrospectively. The presence of candidemia was defined by determining at least one positive blood culture. Cases were followed at least 150 days after transplantation (150 days-10 years). The risk factors were investigated in preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative periods. None of the patients received antifungal prophylaxis. Result: In the study period, 388 of 472 patients undergoing liver transplantation were included. Candidemia was detected in 10 (2.6%) patients. Among the important risk factors albumin level below 2.8 mg/dl, the use of vascular graft, the presence of biliary complication, hospitalization in intensive care unit(>6days), re-operation, the presence of surgical site infection and postoperative length of stay were detected as significant risk factors. The most common pathogen was C. albicans. Five (50%) patients with candidemia died and C. albicans was responsible for candidemia. Attributable mortality of candidemia was 60%. The presence of candidemia increases the mortality rate significantly (p-value=0.023) Conclusion: Candidemia should be diagnosed as early as possible. In the population without antifungal prophylaxis, candidemia ratio is not higher than the other studies reported formerly. The lower rate of candidemia can be achieved through good patient preparation in pre-transplant period, meticulous surgical technique, use of biological rather than synthetic vascular graft and early discharge after transplantation.