The Relationship between Graft Function and Liver Function after Kidney Transplantation: A Retrospective Cohort Study

After kidney transplantation, several factors should be checked to predict the risk of rejection. Liver enzymes are such predicting factors so liver function test abnormalities (LFTA) can consider the rejection possibility in kidney transplant recipients (KTR).

Through a retrospective cohort study, 659 KTR were studied. The source of all grafts was from deceased donors. Amongst these cases, 67 patients showed a significant rise in creatinine as the rejection indication. Several liver indexes like alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), direct bilirubin (Bil D), total bilirubin (Bil T), and liver ultrasound reports, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), prothrombin time (PT) INR in addition to creatinine were examined for three-six post-transplant in KTR.

Our study exposed that liver functional tests regularly had considerable statistical differences between KTR with creatinine increase and with no creatinine increase. Despite these differences between the two groups AST, ALT and ALP serum levels were still within the normal range in both groups. The same result was seen over Bil D and Bil T.

Liver function test abnormalities can not adequately predict the rejection. Some other elements should be taken into consideration like inflammation factors like erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR or sed rate), and C-reactive protein (CRP).