A 6-month abstinence from alcohol is usually required before patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis are considered for liver transplantation. Patients whose hepatitis is not responding to medical therapy have a 6-month survival rate of approximately 30%. Since most alcoholic hepatitis deaths occur within 2 months, early liver transplantation is attractive but controversial. We selected patients from seven centers for early liver transplantation. The patients had no prior episodes of alcoholic hepatitis and had scores of 0.45 or higher according to the Lille model (which calculates scores ranging from 0 to 1, with a score ≥0.45 indicating nonresponse to medical therapy and an increased risk of death in the absence of transplantation) or rapid worsening of liver function despite medical therapy. Selected patients also had supportive family members, no severe coexisting conditions, and a commitment to alcohol abstinence. Survival was compared between patients who underwent early liver transplantation and matched patients who did not. In all, 26 patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis at high risk of death (median Lille score, 0.88) were selected and placed on the list for a liver transplant within a median of 13 days after nonresponse to medical therapy. Fewer than 2% of patients admitted for an episode of severe alcoholic hepatitis were selected. The centers used 2.9% of available grafts for this indication. The cumulative 6-month survival rate (±SE) was higher among patients who received early transplantation than among those who did not (77±8% vs. 23±8%, P<0.001). This benefit of early transplantation was maintained through 2 years of follow-up (hazard ratio, 6.08; P=0.004). Three patients resumed drinking alcohol: one at 720 days, one at 740 days, and one at 1140 days after transplantation. Early liver transplantation can improve survival in patients with a first episode of severe alcoholic hepatitis not responding to medical therapy. (Funded by Société Nationale Française de Gastroentérologie.)

Define the optimal surgical margin in patients undergoing surgery for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC). Surgery is the most effective treatment for IHCC. However, the influence of R1 resection on outcome is controversial and that of margin width has not been evaluated. We studied 212 patients undergoing curative resection of mass-forming-type IHCC. The respective influences on survival of resection status (R0 vs R1), surgical margin width, pTNM stage, and the latter's components were evaluated. Incidence of R1 resection was 24%. Overall, R1 resection was not an independent predictor of survival [odds ratio (OR) 1.2 (0.7-2.1)] in contrast to the pTNM stage [OR 2.10 (1.2-3.5)]. In the 78 pN+ patients, survival was similar after R0 and R1 resections (median: 18 vs 13 months, respectively, P = 0.1). In the 134 pN0 patients, R1 resection was an independent predictor of poor survival [OR 9.6 (4.5-20.4)], as was the presence of satellite nodules [OR 1.9 (1.1-3.2)]. In the 116 pN0 patients with R0 resections, median survival was correlated with margin width (≤1 mm: 15 months; 2-4 mm: 36 months; 5-9 mm: 57 month; ≥10 mm: 64 month, P < 0.001) and a margin >5 mm was an independent predictor of survival [OR 2.22 (1.59-3.09)]. Patients undergoing surgery for IHCC are at high risk of R1 resections. In pN0 patients, R1 resection is the strongest independent predictor of poor outcome and a margin of at least 5 mm should be created. The survival benefits of resection in pN+ patients and R1 resection in general are very low.

Hepatic epitheloid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare low-grade vascular tumor. Its treatment algorithm is still unclear mainly due to a lack of larger clinical experiences with detailed long-term follow-up. Fifty-nine patients, reported to the European Liver Transplant Registry, were analyzed to define the role of liver transplantation (LT) in the treatment of this disease. Eleven (19%) patients were asymptomatic. Eighteen (30.5%) patients had pre-LT surgical [hepatic (7 patients) and extrahepatic (3 patients)] and/or systemic or locoregional (10 patients) medical therapy. Ten (16.9%) patients had extrahepatic disease localization before or at the time of LT. Follow-up was complete for all patients with a median of 92.5 (range, 7–369) from moment of diagnosis and a median of 78.5 (range, 1–245) from the moment of LT. HEHE was bilobar in 96% of patients; 86% of patients had more than 15 nodules in the liver specimen. Early (3 months) post-LT mortality was 1.7% (1 patient) and 22% (14 patients). Fourteen (23.7%) patients developed disease recurrence after a median time of 49 months (range, 6–98). Nine (15.3%) patients died of recurrent disease and 5 are surviving with recurrent disease. One-, 5-, and 10- year patient survival rates from moment of transplantation for the whole series are 93%, 83%, 72%. Pre-LT tumor treatment (n = 18) (89%, 89%, and 68% 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates from moment of LT vs. 95%, 80%, and 73% in case of absence of pre-LT treatment), lymph node (LN) invasion (n = 18) (96%, 81%, and 71% 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates vs. 83%, 78%, and 67% in node negative patients) and extrahepatic disease localization (n = 10) (90%, 80%, and 80% 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates vs. 94%, 83%, and 70% in case of absence of extrahepatic disease) did not significantly influence patient survival whereas microvascular (n = 24) (96%, 75%, 52% 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival vs. 96%, 92%, 85% in case of absence of microvascular invasion) and combined micro- and macrovascular invasion (n = 28) (90%, 72%, and 54% 1-,5-, and 10-year survival vs. 96%, 92%, and 85% in case of absence of vascular invasion, P = 0.03) did. Disease-free survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years post-LT are 90%, 82%, and 64%. Disease-free survival is not significantly influenced by pre-LT treatment, LN status, extrahepatic disease localization, and vascular invasion. The results of the largest reported transplant series in the treatment of HEHE are excellent. Preexisting extrahepatic disease localization as well as LN involvement are not contraindications to LT. Microvascular or combined macro-microvascular invasion significantly influence survival after LT. LT therefore should be offered as a valid therapy earlier in the disease course of these, frequently young, patients. Recurrent (allograft) disease should be treated aggressively as good long-term survivals can be obtained. Long-term prospective follow-up multicenter studies as well as the evaluation of antiangiogenic drugs are necessary to further optimize the treatment of this rare vascular hepatic disorder.

Background. Oxygen consumption at peak exercise (peak VO₂) is the most accurate index of aerobic capacity (AC), which reflects the physical condition of an individual and is currently considered the gold standard for cardiorespiratory fitness. Evaluation of peak VO₂ to identify high-risk candidates for liver transplantation (LT) may represent an interesting approach. The aims of this study were (a) to describe AC and identify factors independently associated with peak VO₂; (b) to analyze the prognostic value of peak VO₂ in patients referred for preliminary evaluation of LT; and (c) to provide preliminary data on the influence of peak VO₂ on length of hospitalization and the need for oxygen support after LT. Results. Peak VO₂ was determined in patients referred for preliminary evaluation for LT. One hundred thirty-five candidates were included. More than half had severe alterations in peak VO₂. Age, gender, model-for-end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, tobacco use, and hemoglobin were independently associated with peak VO₂. Candidates with severe alterations in peak VO₂ had a lower 1-year survival than others. Model-for-end-stage liver disease score and peak VO₂ were independently associated with survival. In patients with a MELD above 17, those with severe alterations of peak VO₂ AC had lower 1-year survival than the others. Among patients who underwent LT, those with severe impairment of peak VO₂ showed a trend toward a higher mean length of hospitalization after LT and had significantly longer need for oxygen support. Conclusions. Peak VO₂ is severely impaired in candidates for LT and affects survival and post-LT course. Perioperative respiratory rehabilitation programs validated in lung and heart transplantation must be tested.