Objective: To investigate the relationship between plasma lipid peroxide (LPO) levels and prognosis in critically ill patients after liver transplantation.
Methods: Plasma LPO levels were measured in 18 patients within 21 days after liver transplantation, and their relations to the prognosis were analyzed.
Results: Plasma LPO levels were markedly elevated in patients before state of illness got severe, especially in those with fatal outcome. The peak LPO levels were much higher in non-survivors than in survivors, and mortality rate in patients whose plasma LPO exceeding 10 micromol/L (5/6 cases) was significantly higher than those under 10 micromol/L (1/12 cases, P<0.01). The mortality rate in patients with daily fluctuation range of plasma LPO levels over 1.2 micromol.L(-1).d(-1) was higher than those under 1.2 micromol.L(-1).d(-1), and the difference was significant between two groups (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Measurement of plasma LPO level might be of clinical significance to properly judge the critically ill conditions, and it can be used as routine examination for patients after liver transplantation.