Cryptogenic cirrhosis and posttransplantation nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Some patients diagnosed with cryptogenic cirrhosis may have "burned-out" nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFL). To test this hypothesis, we used our liver transplant database (November 1984 to November 1998) to assess the incidence of NAFL in patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). We also examined the clinicodemographic features associated with post-OLT NAFL, obtained by chart review and telephone interviews. When available, post-OLT liver biopsy specimens were reviewed blindly by a hepatopathologist according to the NAFL pathology protocol. We identified 51 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis (mean age, 51 +/- 12 years); 60% were women, 94% were white, and 34% had type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Mean pre-OLT body mass index (BMI) was 27.33 +/- 5.54 kg/m(2). Twenty-five patients underwent at least 1 post-OLT liver biopsy. Post-OLT NAFL was identified in 13 patients (25.4%), whereas post-OLT nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was seen in 8 patients (15.7%). Features associated with post-OLT NASH were pre- and post-OLT type 2 DM (P less than or equal to .05) and an elevated fasting triglyceride level (P < .05). BMI tended to be greater in patients with post-OLT NAFL or NASH. Those who did not develop post-OLT NAFL showed a decrease in BMI. Patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis undergoing OLT resemble patients with NAFL. Post-OLT NAFL and NASH can be seen in a number of patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis. This supports the notion that some cases of cryptogenic cirrhosis represent burned-out NAFL.