Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze various risk factors and to assess the preoperative risk score, which can predict the prognosis after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT).
Methods: From February 2002 to August 2007, 84 adult to adult living donor liver transplantation donors and recipients were analyzed. First, the donor, recipient, and intraoperative factors were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. We then gave a score of one point for each significant marginal factor (total point scores were called "risk score") and each risk score was examined by univariate analyses.
Results: Recipients with the donor age 50 years or older, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (> or =21), and hepatitis C virus-positive status had a significantly poor survival. Recipients between the risk score of 0 vs. scores of 2 + 3 (p < 0.001, log-rank) and risk score of 1 vs. scores of 2 + 3 (p = 0.003, log-rank) had significantly different survival.
Conclusions: Preoperative assessment of the risk score might help to predict recipient outcomes after living donor liver transplantation.