Histological long-term outcomes from acute antibody-mediated rejection following ABO-compatible liver transplantation

Background and Aim Acute antibody-mediated rejection (aAMR) is an unusual complication after orthotopic ABO-compatible liver transplantation. To date, the clinical and histological long-term outcomes after aAMR are not well known. Method Herein, we describe nine cases of aAMR that occurred in our liver-transplant center between 2008 and 2016, with an initial and reevaluation liver biopsy available for reexamination. Results Two patients presented with aAMR at 10.5 (10, 11) days post-transplantation, caused by preformed donor-specific antibodies. Seven other recipients developed de novo donor-specific antibodies and aAMR at 11.2 (3-24) months post-transplantation. Eight of the nine patients received a B-cell targeting agent (rituximab, with or without plasma exchange), associated with polyclonal antibodies (three patients) or intravenous immunoglobulins (three patients). At the last follow up (i.e. 21 [4-90] months post-aAMR), seven patients were alive, including two patients with normal liver tests. Grafts' survival was 66%. A liver biopsy performed at 11.5 (5-48.5) months after the first biopsy showed no significant improvement in aAMR score (from 21.3 to 1.6 +/- 1.5, P=0.6), a significant improvement in chronic AMR score (from 37 +/- 9 to 25 +/- 8, P=0.003) and an increase in the Metavir score (1.2 +/- 0.6 to 2.1 +/- 0.9, P=0.03). Conclusion In this study, a B-cell-depleting agent seemed to improve the prognosis of aAMR in selected cases, but several patients kept active lesions antibody-mediated rejection.