The association of pretransplant ferritin level with waiting list and post-transplant survival. Does ferritin actually predict outcome?

Recent data suggest an association of serum ferritin (SF) with waiting list (WL) and postliver transplant (LT) outcomes. To assess the predictive capacity of SF on pre- and post-LT outcomes, and to identify whether recipient or donor liver siderosis is associated with post-LT survival; a retrospective analysis of 1079 patients assessed for first LT, 2000-2007 was performed. Iron deposition in the liver tissue was assessed using a semi-quantitative grading system. Median age was 54 (18-82) years and 67% were male. Seventeen per cent had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Median Model for End-stage Liver Disease MELD score was 14 (6-40), ferritin was 174 μg/l (4-4597) with 36.5% had a SF ≥ μg/l. Age (OR = 1.028) and MELD score (OR = 1.158) were independently associated with WL mortality (P < 0.001), whilst SF was not (P = NS). Age (OR = 1.018), HCC (OR = 1.542) and cold ischemia time (CIT) ≥ 10 h (OR = 1.418) were independently associated with post-LT survival (P < 0.05). Explant siderosis grade <2 was seen in 376 (71.7%) patients. Patients with explant siderosis grade ≥ 2 had inferior 12-month post-LT survival (P = 0.030). Presence of graft siderosis (15.8% of patients) was not associated with survival. In conclusion, we found a limited role for SF as a prognostic indicator for pre- or post-transplant survival.