INFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE IN PRIMARY SCLEROSING CHOLANGITIS - AN ANALYSIS OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING LIVER-TRANSPLANTATION

Fifty-five patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) were reviewed retrospectively . After OLt there were significantly more episodes of acute rejection in 31 patients with a previous history of inflammatory bowel disease ( IBD) than in 24 without such a history. Patients who had severe acute rejection were significantly younger at diagnosis of IBD. Five patient s with histological features suggestive of recurrent PSC after OLT wer e significantly younger at the time of transplantation than those who did not develop recurrence. Patients with poor control of IBD after OL T had a significantly lower age at diagnosis of bowel inflammation. Th e presence of IBD did not affect the outcome after OLT, but was associ ated with a higher rate of acute rejection. Younger patients had a gre ater risk of developing severe rejection, recurrent PSC and poor contr ol of IBD after liver transplantation.