Review article: management of hepatic disease following haematopoietic cell transplant

Abstract

Hepatic diseases are common complications of haematopoietic cell transplant. The causes are multiple: myeloablative conditioning regimens may cause sinusoidal injury; acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease lead to damaged hepatocytes and small bile ducts; microcrystalline deposits in the gall bladder can cause biliary symptoms; drug-induced liver injury is common; and the liver may be infected by viruses and fungi during the period of severe immune suppression that follows transplant. Pre-transplant evaluation and prevention of liver injury are often more useful than treatment of deeply jaundiced patients in improving transplant outcomes. This review covers pre-transplant evaluation, common hepatobiliary problems in the six months following transplant, and hepatic problems in long-term survivors.