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D-dimer Level Is Non-Specifically Elevated Post-Living-Related Liver Transplantation in Children

Received: 18 April 2024     Accepted: 3 May 2024     Published: 17 May 2024
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Abstract

Background/Objective: D-dimer, a soluble fibrin degradation product, is used to be a marker of vascular thrombosis. However, it has been reported to be elevated in different pathological conditions other than thrombosis. Moreover, its pattern post-liver transplantation (LT) in children is not known. So, we aimed to report its pattern within the first-month post-LT in children and its level in different early post-LT complications. Methods: It is a retrospective observational cohort study in which 52 children who underwent living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) were included. All the available clinical, imaging, and laboratory data including D-dimer level were collected from the patients' files. Those who developed complications within the first post-LT month were assigned to the complication group (n=41), and others were assigned to the non-complication group (n=11). Results: D-dimer level pre-LT ranged from 0.12-16.41 mg/l, with no significant difference between the complication and non-complication groups. Postoperatively, the D-dimer levels were elevated and did not normalize till the postoperative day (POD) 30. The minimum reported level was 1.2 mg/l on POD0 while the maximum one was 33.12 mg/l on POD12. There were no significant differences between the complication and non-complication groups about the D-dimer level from the pre-LT day till the POD30 (p>0.05). The D-dimer level at the onset of the different complications showed no significant difference among the thrombotic, ACR, and the other complication subgroups (p=0.748). Moreover, the vascular thrombosis subgroup didn’t show a significant difference between the D-dimer level before- and at the onset of thrombosis (p=0.480). Conclusion: D-dimer is non-specifically elevated within the 1st-month post-LRLT in children with no clear trend. Moreover, it doesn’t normalize till the end of the 1st post-LT month. Being high early postoperatively doesn't necessarily indicate vascular thrombosis or other complications but rather the nature of the transplantation circumstances.

Published in International Journal of Gastroenterology (Volume 8, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15
Page(s) 22-31
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Acute Cellular Rejection, Children, D-Dimer, Living-Related Liver Transplantation, Post-Liver Transplantation Complications, Vascular Thrombosis

References
[1] Weitz JI, Fredenburgh JC, Eikelboom JW. A Test in Context: D-Dimer. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017 Nov 7; 70(19): 2411-20.
[2] Johnson ED, Schell JC, Rodgers GM. The D-dimer assay. American journal of hematology. 2019; 94(7): 833-9.
[3] Dai J, Qi X, Li H, et al. Role of D-dimer in the Development of Portal Vein Thrombosis in Liver Cirrhosis: A Meta-analysis. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2015 May-Jun; 21(3): 165-74.
[4] Zhang Q, Guo R, Chen Y. D-dimer level in liver transplant recipients on the first day after surgery is correlated with postoperative thrombosis recurrence. J Clin Lab Anal. 2019 Jan; 33(1): e22646.
[5] Cioni G, Cristani A, Mussini C, et al. Incidence and clinical significance of elevated fibrin(ogen) degradation product and/or D-dimer levels in liver cirrhosis patients. Ital J Gastroenterol. 1990 Apr; 22(2): 70-4.
[6] Uchida H, Sakamoto S, Shimizu S, et al. Impact of prolonged clamping of the portal vein during liver transplantation in infants with biliary atresia: renewed interest in a long-standing issue. Surg Today. 2021 Aug; 51(8): 1292-9.
[7] Eldredge JA, Hardikar W. Current status and future directions of liver transplantation for metabolic liver disease in children. Pediatr Transplant. 2024 Feb; 28(1): e14625.
[8] Ruchonnet-Metrailler I, Blanchon S, Luthold S, et al. Pulmonary complications after liver transplantation in children: risk factors and impact on early post-operative morbidity. Pediatr Transplant. 2018 Jul 17: e13243.
[9] Dindo D, Breitenstein S, Hahnloser D, et al. Kinetics of D-dimer after general surgery. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2009 Jul; 20(5): 347-52.
[10] Nguyen NT, Owings JT, Gosselin R, et al. Systemic coagulation and fibrinolysis after laparoscopic and open gastric bypass. Arch Surg. 2001 Aug; 136(8): 909-16.
[11] Sakamoto T, Murakami Y, Hanaki T, et al. Evaluation of perioperative D-dimer concentration for predicting postoperative deep vein thrombosis following hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery. Surg Today. 2023 Jul; 53(7): 773-81.
[12] Park J, Kim SU, Choi HJ, et al. Predictive Role of the D-Dimer Level in Acute Kidney Injury in Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study. J Clin Med. 2022 Jan 16; 11(2).
[13] Meini S, Sozio E, Bertolino G, et al. D-Dimer as Biomarker for Early Prediction of Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Severe Invasive Infections Due to Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Neisseria Meningitidis. Frontiers in Medicine. 2021; 8: 627830.
[14] Akino S, Ohashi H, Okano T, et al. Sudden elevation of plasma D-dimer levels induced by the combination therapy of dabrafenib and trametinib: report of two cases. The Journal of Dermatology. 2019; 46(4): 358-60.
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  • APA Style

    Darwish, H. S., Adawy, N. M., Saber, M. A., Radwan, N. M. (2024). D-dimer Level Is Non-Specifically Elevated Post-Living-Related Liver Transplantation in Children. International Journal of Gastroenterology, 8(1), 22-31. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15

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    ACS Style

    Darwish, H. S.; Adawy, N. M.; Saber, M. A.; Radwan, N. M. D-dimer Level Is Non-Specifically Elevated Post-Living-Related Liver Transplantation in Children. Int. J. Gastroenterol. 2024, 8(1), 22-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15

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    AMA Style

    Darwish HS, Adawy NM, Saber MA, Radwan NM. D-dimer Level Is Non-Specifically Elevated Post-Living-Related Liver Transplantation in Children. Int J Gastroenterol. 2024;8(1):22-31. doi: 10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15,
      author = {Hadil Samir Darwish and Nermin Mohamed Adawy and Magdy Anwar Saber and Noha Mohamed Radwan},
      title = {D-dimer Level Is Non-Specifically Elevated Post-Living-Related Liver Transplantation in Children
    },
      journal = {International Journal of Gastroenterology},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {22-31},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijg.20240801.15},
      abstract = {Background/Objective: D-dimer, a soluble fibrin degradation product, is used to be a marker of vascular thrombosis. However, it has been reported to be elevated in different pathological conditions other than thrombosis. Moreover, its pattern post-liver transplantation (LT) in children is not known. So, we aimed to report its pattern within the first-month post-LT in children and its level in different early post-LT complications. Methods: It is a retrospective observational cohort study in which 52 children who underwent living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) were included. All the available clinical, imaging, and laboratory data including D-dimer level were collected from the patients' files. Those who developed complications within the first post-LT month were assigned to the complication group (n=41), and others were assigned to the non-complication group (n=11). Results: D-dimer level pre-LT ranged from 0.12-16.41 mg/l, with no significant difference between the complication and non-complication groups. Postoperatively, the D-dimer levels were elevated and did not normalize till the postoperative day (POD) 30. The minimum reported level was 1.2 mg/l on POD0 while the maximum one was 33.12 mg/l on POD12. There were no significant differences between the complication and non-complication groups about the D-dimer level from the pre-LT day till the POD30 (p>0.05). The D-dimer level at the onset of the different complications showed no significant difference among the thrombotic, ACR, and the other complication subgroups (p=0.748). Moreover, the vascular thrombosis subgroup didn’t show a significant difference between the D-dimer level before- and at the onset of thrombosis (p=0.480). Conclusion: D-dimer is non-specifically elevated within the 1st-month post-LRLT in children with no clear trend. Moreover, it doesn’t normalize till the end of the 1st post-LT month. Being high early postoperatively doesn't necessarily indicate vascular thrombosis or other complications but rather the nature of the transplantation circumstances.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - D-dimer Level Is Non-Specifically Elevated Post-Living-Related Liver Transplantation in Children
    
    AU  - Hadil Samir Darwish
    AU  - Nermin Mohamed Adawy
    AU  - Magdy Anwar Saber
    AU  - Noha Mohamed Radwan
    Y1  - 2024/05/17
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15
    T2  - International Journal of Gastroenterology
    JF  - International Journal of Gastroenterology
    JO  - International Journal of Gastroenterology
    SP  - 22
    EP  - 31
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2640-169X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijg.20240801.15
    AB  - Background/Objective: D-dimer, a soluble fibrin degradation product, is used to be a marker of vascular thrombosis. However, it has been reported to be elevated in different pathological conditions other than thrombosis. Moreover, its pattern post-liver transplantation (LT) in children is not known. So, we aimed to report its pattern within the first-month post-LT in children and its level in different early post-LT complications. Methods: It is a retrospective observational cohort study in which 52 children who underwent living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) were included. All the available clinical, imaging, and laboratory data including D-dimer level were collected from the patients' files. Those who developed complications within the first post-LT month were assigned to the complication group (n=41), and others were assigned to the non-complication group (n=11). Results: D-dimer level pre-LT ranged from 0.12-16.41 mg/l, with no significant difference between the complication and non-complication groups. Postoperatively, the D-dimer levels were elevated and did not normalize till the postoperative day (POD) 30. The minimum reported level was 1.2 mg/l on POD0 while the maximum one was 33.12 mg/l on POD12. There were no significant differences between the complication and non-complication groups about the D-dimer level from the pre-LT day till the POD30 (p>0.05). The D-dimer level at the onset of the different complications showed no significant difference among the thrombotic, ACR, and the other complication subgroups (p=0.748). Moreover, the vascular thrombosis subgroup didn’t show a significant difference between the D-dimer level before- and at the onset of thrombosis (p=0.480). Conclusion: D-dimer is non-specifically elevated within the 1st-month post-LRLT in children with no clear trend. Moreover, it doesn’t normalize till the end of the 1st post-LT month. Being high early postoperatively doesn't necessarily indicate vascular thrombosis or other complications but rather the nature of the transplantation circumstances.
    
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom, Egypt

  • Department of Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom, Egypt

  • Department of Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom, Egypt

  • Department of Pediatric Hepatology, Gastroenterology, and Nutrition, National Liver Institute, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom, Egypt

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