Neurological Complications associated with Pediatric Liver Transplant in Namazi Hospital: One-Year Follow-Up.

Background: 13%-43% of liver transplant (LT) recipients experience severe neurologic events with increased morbidity and mortality.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence of neurological complications after LT in pediatric patients in Namazi Hospital.

Methods: The medical records of 101 children aged between 1 and 18 years who underwent LT between May 2016 and May 2017 at Namazi Hospital were reviewed. Demographic data, the occurrence of neurological complications, and preoperative variables that may predict the complications and outcomes were evaluated. The mean±SD follow-up duration was 10.1±1.9 months.

Results: The mean±SD age of patients at the time of LT was 8.2±5.3 years; 51.5% were male. The most common cause of LT was biliary atresia (16.8%), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (16.8%), and Wilson's disease (13.9%). The mean±SD PELD score was 18.2±1.1. After 1-year follow-up 74 73.3% patients were alive. 16 (15.8%) patients developed convulsion (2 had encephalopathy). 3 (3.0%) patients had signs of peripheral neuropathy, 3 (3.0%) complained from headache, and 1 developed dystonia.

Conclusion: Compared to other centers, neurological complications were less common in our center. The major neurological manifestation after LT was convulsion. There was no correlation between age, sex and the underlying disease and development of neurological complications.