• Young-Kug Kim, Kichang Lee, Gyu-Sam Hwang, and Richard J Cohen.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Laboratory for Cardiovascular Dynamics, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Korea.
• Clin. Auton. Res. 2013 Jun 1;23(3):123-31.

ObjectivePost-reperfusion syndrome (PRS), severe hypotension after graft reperfusion during liver transplantation, is an adverse clinical event associated with poorer patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether alterations in autonomic control in liver transplant recipients prior to graft reperfusion are associated with the subsequent development of PRS.MethodsHeart rate variability (HRV), systolic arterial blood pressure (SBP) variability, and baroreflex sensitivity of 218 liver transplant recipients were evaluated using 5 min of ECG and arterial blood pressure signals 10 min before graft reperfusion along with other clinical parameters. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess predictors of PRS occurrence.ResultsSeventy-seven patients (35 %) developed PRS while 141 did not. There were significant differences in SBP (110 ± 16 vs. 119 ± 16 mmHg, P < 0.001) and the ratio of low frequency power to high frequency power (LF/HF) of HRV (1.0 ± 1.4 vs. 2.1 ± 3.7, P = 0.003) between the PRS group and No-PRS group. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, predictors were LF/HF (odds ratio 0.817, P = 0.028) and SBP (odds ratio 0.966, P < 0.001).InterpretationLow LF/HF and SBP measured before hepatic graft reperfusion were significantly correlated with subsequent PRS occurrence, suggesting that sympathovagal imbalance and depressed SBP may be key factors predisposing to reperfusion-related severe hypotension in liver transplant recipients.

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