Effect of terlipressin infusion therapy on recipient's hepatic and renal functions in living donor liver transplantations: Experience from a tertiary hospital

Background: Patients with end-stage liver disease are prone to hemodynamic disturbances which may be aggravated with liver transplantation. Blood pooling in splanchnic area and portal hypertension cause reduction in central blood volume. Terlipressin reduces mesenteric and hepatic blood flow, causing vasoconstriction in the smooth muscles of the arteries in the splanchnic region. Objective: We investigated the efficacy of perioperative terlipressin infusion in patients who received living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) on hepatic and renal functions. Design: Retrospective. Setting: University hospital. Method: The study included 86 adult patients who received LDLT, due to end-stage hepatic disease, between April 2014 and July 2016 in our institute. Data were collected by searching the medical archives of patients. A standard anesthesia protocol was administered to all patients. In a selected group of patients, terlipressin infusion was initiated at 3 mg/kg/h, immediately after anesthesia was induced. The dose was halved following arterial anastomosis and was continued at this dose for the subsequent 3 days. Patients who received terlipressin infusion were compared with patients who did not receive it. Main Outcome Measures: There is no evidence in this trial to show evidence of effectiveness as a result of terlipressin infusion. Results: Patients in the terlipressin group were statistically significantly older. Central venous pressure, cardiac index, global end diastolic volume, and extravascular lung volume did not show significant differences between the groups. Urine output was similar in both groups; however, regarding the use of packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma, terlipressin group patients needed more packs. Perioperative liver function tests were similar between the groups except for aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase values on the first and third postoperative days. Conclusion: Terlipressin infusion was not found to be significantly effective among the liver and kidney function tests. Limitations: This may be a result of randomization defect of our retrospective study design. Many prospective randomized studies should be planned to reach more accurate results.