Graft-versus-host disease after liver transplantation: A comprehensive literature review

Table 1 Comparison of variables between surviving and dead patients n (%)

Characteristics	Surviving (n = 28)	Dead (n = 59)	Total (n = 87)	Univariate analysis	Multivariate analysis
Age, yr	38.7 ± 22.7	40.4 ± 15.5	40.4 ± 15.5	0.1
Sex				0.8
Male	20 (71.4)	38 (64.4)	58 (66.6)
Female	8 (28.6)	21 (35.6)	29 (33.4)
Rash				0.8
Present	27 (96.4)	55 (93.2)	82 (94.2)
Absent	1 (3.6)	4 (6.8)	5 (5.8)
Fever				0.1
Present	17 (60.7)	41 (69.5)	58 (66.7)
Absent	11 (39.3)	18 (30.5)	29 (33.3)
Pancytopenia				0.03	0.6
Present	12 (42.9)	35 (59.3)	47 (54)
Absent	16 (57.1)	24 (40.7)	40 (46)
Diarrhea				0.04	0.1
Present	11 (39.3)	36 (61)	47 (54)
Absent	17 (60.7)	23 (39)	40 (46)
Acute rejection before GvHD				0.4
Yes	7 (25)	8 (13.6)	15 (17.3)
No	21 (75)	51 (86.4)	72 (82.7)
Immunsuppressive agent				0.5
Tacrolimus	15 (53.6)	25 (42.4)	40 (46)
Cyclosporine	10 (35.7)	20 (33.9)	30 (34.5)
Azathiopurine	0 (0)	1 (1.7)	1 (1.1)
Un-noted	3 (10.7)	13 (22)	16 (18.4)
Re-transplantation				0.4
Yes	2 (92.9)	2 (3.4)	4 (4.6)
No	26 (7.1)	57 (96.6)	83 (95.4)
Time of onset (POD), d	109 ± 64	38 ± 5	60.6 ± 190.11	0.4
Etiology				0.3
Donor type				0.2
Cadaveric	16 (57.1)	16 (27.1)	32 (36.8)
Living	2 (7.2)	8 (13.6)	10 (11.5)
Un-noted	10 (35.7)	35 (59.3)	45 (51.7)
Age difference between recipient and donor, yr	14.6 ± 3.1	22.6 ± 2.7	19.8 ± 13.2	< 0.0001	0.031
Blood group				0.4
Identical	16 (57.1)	30 (51)	46 (52.9)
Non-identical	3 (10.7)	3 (5)	6 (6.9)
Un-noted	9 (32.1)	26 (44)	35 (40.2)
Time between symptoms and diagnosis or first treatment, mo	13.3 ± 2.6	15.0 ± 2.3	14.3 ± 14.3	< 0.0001	0.1

¹Hazard ratio: 7.3, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-46.7. GvHD: Graft-versus-host disease; POD: Post-operative day.

Table 2 Distribution of patients according to underlying liver disease

Etiology	Surviving (n = 28)	Dead (n = 59)	Total (n = 87)
ALD	4	7	11
ALD + HCC	1	3	4
ALD + HCV	0	3	3
HBV	1	3	4
HBV + HCC	3	6	9
HBV + HDV	1	0	1
HCV	0	7	7
HCV + HCC	1	0	1
HCC	1	3	4
PBC	1	5	6
PSC	1	3	4
PSC + HCC	0	2	2
Biliary atresia	4	2	6
Hemangioma	0	1	1
Cryptogenic	4	5	9
Acute failure	3	4	7
Autoimmune hepatitis	1	1	2
HAV	1	0	1
Policystic disease	0	1	1
Laennec's cirrhosis	1	0	1
Wilson disease	0	1	1
Langerhans' cell histiocytosis	0	1	1
NRH	0	1	1

ALD: Alcoholic liver disease; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; HCV: Hepatitis C virus; PBC: Primary biliary chirosis; PSC: Primary sclerosing cholangitis; NRH: Nodular regenerative hyperplasia; HAV: Hepatitis A virus; HBV: Hepatitis B virus.