Risk factors and treatment of pulmonary infection after liver transplantation

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and the related risk factors of pulmonary infection in patients after liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 298 patients who underwent liver transplantation in the Beijing Chaoyang Hospital between January 2013 and December 2017 were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into the infection group (n=58) and the control group (n=240) according to whether they had pulmonary infection. The characteristics, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and risk factors of pulmonary infection were analyzed. Results Pulmonary infection occurred in 58 patients (19.5%) after liver transplantation. Eight patients died in the infection group of pulmonary infection. The mortality rate was 13.8%. The most common pathogenic bacteria were Acinetobacter bauman, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which accounted for 28.8%, 20% and 13.8%, respectively for the pulmonary infection. Multivariate analysis showed that the neutrophil ratio, and intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization time were independent risk factors of pulmonary infection (P<0.05). Conclusions Pulmonary infection was common after liver transplantation. The treatment strategy should be the use of rational antibiotics and intensive pulmonary management. The neutrophil ratio and ICU hospitalization time were the risk factors of pulmonary infection. Key words: Liver transplantation; Pulmonary infection; Risk factor; Treatment