Dermatological signs in liver transplant recipients

J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021 Sep;20(9):2969-2974. doi: 10.1111/jocd.13944. Epub 2021 Jan 21.

Abstract

Background: In recent years, the number of liver transplantations for advanced-stage liver diseases has considerably increased and the patients have a wide range of dermatologic manifestations.

Aim: This study aims to reveal cutaneous, mucosal, and nail lesions in liver transplant recipients in quite large patient series.

Patients/methods: The study included 520 patients in the Inonu University Liver Transplantation Institute. New and followed-up patients attended to the study between May and October 2019. The patients were examined by a dermatologist, and their data were recorded.

Results: The study included 163 female and 357 male patients with the main age of 44.20 ± 18.18 (range: 1-83 years), and 465 livers (89.4%) were taken from live donors, while 54 livers (10.4%) were taken from cadavers. A total of 314 (60.4%) patients had dermatophyte infections, 174 (33.4%) patients had pathological nail changes, and 427 (82.1%) patients had oral mucosal lesions. Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) developed in 9 (1.73%) patients after the transplantation, and 5 patients died of GVHD. Four patients had cutaneous malignancies.

Conclusions: Tumoral and nontumoral dermatological diseases may be encountered following the transplantation depending on underlying liver disease, immunosuppressive treatment, the graft itself, or any primary cutaneous disease. Liver transplantation recipients require a multidisciplinary clinical approach, and dermatological care must be an integral part of this approach.

Keywords: cutaneous findings; liver; mucosal and nail findings; skin findings; transplantation.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Infant
  • Liver Transplantation*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Skin Neoplasms*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents