Clinical Research Directory

Physical and Cognitive Outcomes After Post-Transplant Physiotherapy in Liver Transplant Recipients

Liver transplantation is the most effective treatment for end-stage liver disease. However, many recipients continue to experience problems such as reduced physical function, impaired balance, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties even after successful transplantation. Although physiotherapy is commonly provided during the early postoperative period, its long-term benefits are not well understood. This observational cross-sectional study evaluated the long-term physical and cognitive outcomes of adult liver transplant recipients approximately one year after transplantation. A total of 106 participants were included and divided into two groups according to whether they had participated in a routine post-transplant physiotherapy and rehabilitation program. Physical performance, balance, functional exercise capacity, cognitive function, and fatigue were assessed using standardized clinical outcome measures. The study aimed to determine whether participation in a routine physiotherapy program was associated with better long-term functional outcomes after liver transplantation. The findings may help improve long-term rehabilitation strategies and support the integration of physiotherapy into routine multidisciplinary follow-up care for liver transplant recipients.

New Biomarkers for Organ Viability Assessment During Hypothermic Machine Perfusion in Liver Transplantation: the Role of Extemporaneous Histological Examination.

Liver transplantation is a life-saving treatment for patients with severe liver disease. Because of the shortage of donor organs, transplant centers increasingly use donor livers that may be more vulnerable to injury and dysfunction. To improve the quality of these organs before transplantation, many centers use hypothermic oxygenated machine perfusion (HOPE or D-HOPE), a technique that preserves the liver under cold, oxygenated conditions. However, there are currently no widely accepted methods to determine whether a liver is functioning well enough during this preservation process. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether changes observed in liver tissue during hypothermic machine perfusion can help predict how well the transplanted liver will function after surgery. The study will compare liver biopsy samples collected before and after one hour of perfusion and will analyze biological markers released into the perfusion fluid, including markers of mitochondrial injury and inflammation. The main question this study aims to answer is whether histological changes occurring during hypothermic perfusion, alone or in combination with biochemical biomarkers, can accurately predict liver graft viability and post-transplant outcomes. Researchers will also evaluate whether these data can be used to develop an artificial intelligence-based model to support clinical decision-making during organ preservation. A total of 150 adult liver transplant recipients receiving donor livers treated with HOPE or D-HOPE will be enrolled at three Italian liver transplant centers. Participants will be followed for 90 days after transplantation to assess liver graft function, graft survival, patient survival, and post-transplant complications. The results of this study may improve the assessment of donor liver quality before transplantation and help clinicians make more informed decisions about organ use, ultimately increasing the safety and effectiveness of liver transplantation.

Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

This research focuses on analysing data collected as part of your usual care. Currently, the eligibility of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplantation is based on the calculation of scores. These scores mainly take into account the volume of the tumour measured by imaging, one or more blood markers and the patient's general condition. However, these scores do not take into account: * the concept of downstaging (i.e. the prior reduction of tumour volume through locoregional or systemic treatments, which subsequently allows access to LT), which is becoming increasingly widespread * the dynamics of hepatocellular carcinoma (tumour recurrence while waiting on the transplant list, administration of wait-and-see treatments) * certain anatomopathological parameters (such as the macro-trabecular subtype of HCC). The aim of our study is to develop a new score incorporating these factors in order to identify patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who could truly benefit from a liver transplant. To answer the question posed in the research, data will be collected from 402 people who received a liver transplant for hepatocellular carcinoma at three hospitals in the Paris region between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2023, and from 160 people at two international hospitals in Canada and Belgium.