Abstract

KINANDU, K et al. Acute cellular rejection in adult liver transplant recipients in Johannesburg, South Africa. SAMJ, S. Afr. med. j. [online]. 2025, vol.115, n.9, pp.46-51. ISSN 2078-5135.  https://doi.org/10.7196/SAMJ.2025.v115i9.3231.

BACKGROUND. Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre (WDGMC) in Johannesburg, South Africa, established a liver transplant programme in 2004. Acute cellular rejection (ACR) of the transplanted liver is a serious complication because of the potential for graft loss. ACR is defined as allograft dysfunction secondary to predominantly T-cell-mediated injury to the graft, and has been reported in up to 50% of liver transplants worldwide. While the advent of tacrolimus-based immunosuppression reduces the incidence of ACR in liver transplant recipients, it remains a concern. OBJECTIVES. To review the incidence and risk factors for ACR, as well as the impact of ACR on graft survival in adult liver transplant recipients at WDGMC. METHODS. This was a retrospective review of first-time adult liver transplants performed from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2022. Data collected included donor and recipient sociodemographic and clinical characteristics; transplant surgical procedure details; postoperative surgical complications; overall post-transplant ACR incidence rates in the first 365 days; ACR incidence stratified as early (<90 days) and late (>91 days - <365 days); diagnosis and treatment details of biopsy-proven ACR episodes, including steroid resistance; and graft survival. RESULTS. Of 326 first-time adult liver transplants performed during the review period, 295 were eligible for inclusion. The post-transplant ACR incidence rates were 10.7% (early), 8.8% (late) and 20.3% overall (first 365 days). Corticosteroid resistance occurred in 19% of adult liver transplant recipients with biopsy-proven ACR. Risk factors for early ACR were younger recipient age, black ethnicity and male-donor-to-female-recipient sex discordance. A higher pre-transplant model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was a risk factor in late ACR. Younger recipient age, black ethnicity, female sex, acute liver failure, lower donor risk index scores and postoperative biliary complications were associated with increased risk for ACR in the first 365 days. ACR was not significantly associated with increased graft loss in this cohort. CONCLUSION. While the incidence of ACR was low in this cohort, identification of ACR risk factors and presence of steroid-resistant ACR indicate the need for personalised and context-specific immunosuppression.

Keywords : acute cellular rejection; adult liver transplant.

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