Recipient body mass index and infectious complications following liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional problems are common in patients requiring liver transplantation. Recipient obesity or malnutrition are thought to increase postoperative complications. Body mass index (BMI) is commonly used prior to major surgery but its value specifically in liver transplant assessment has not been established. This is a retrospective study assessing the correlation between the BMI of individuals undergoing liver transplant and the development of postoperative infectious complications.

METHODS: Data were collected from a prospectively maintained database regarding all consecutive patients over a period of 23 years. Preoperative recipient BMI was correlated with the number, nature and outcome of postoperative infective complications.

RESULTS: Of a total of 1156 consecutive patients, 13.2% developed infectious complications. Thirty-day mortality was 7.2% and 90-day mortality was 10%. Higher BMI was associated with higher risk of infections (p = 0.002). Wound infections occurred predominantly in obese patients (p = 0.001) while other types of infections were more common in malnourished patients (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Extremes of BMI are associated with increased infectious complications following liver transplantation. Patients with lower BMI had a higher rate of overall infectious complications whereas those with a higher BMI had increased general and wound complications.