Low Platelet Counts and Prolonged Prothrombin Time Early After Operation Predict the 90 Days Morbidity and Mortality in Living-donor Liver Transplantation

The aim of the study was to investigate the association between platelet count/prothrombin time early after transplant and short-term outcomes among living-donor liver transplant (LDLT) recipients. Postoperative platelet count and prothrombin time-international normalized ratio (PT-INR) were critical biomarkers in LDLT. The study participants consisted of 445 initial LDLT recipients, and perioperative variables, including platelet count and PT-INR, were assessed for their association with severe complications (Clavien-Dindo classification grade IIIb/IV) and mortality within 90 days after operation. Severe complications and operative mortality occurred in 161 (36%) and 23 patients (5%), respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed that a high body mass index [hazard ratio (HR) 1.2; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-1.4; P = 0.004] and low platelet count on postoperative day (POD)3 (HR 0.88; 95% CI, 0.57-0.97; P