Development and validation of a symptom index for advanced hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers: the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (NCCN-FACT) Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Symptom Index (NFHSI).

Background: The 45-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) questionnaire assesses health-related quality of life in patients with liver, bile duct, and pancreatic cancers. Although the FACT-Hep was initially derived from patient input, this study's researchers sought to verify adequate coverage of items by soliciting open-ended input from patients with advanced disease.

Methods: As part of a larger study in collaboration with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), 50 people (60% male, 80% caucasian, average age 60.

Quality of life, risk assessment, and safety research in liver transplantation: new frontiers in health services and outcomes research.

Purpose Of Review: In this review, we briefly summarize three fruitful, emerging areas in liver transplantation research, quality of life; risk assessment; and patient safety. Our goal is to highlight recent findings in these areas, with a call for increased integration of social scientists and transplant clinicians to address how best to shape policy and improve outcomes.

Recent Findings: After liver transplantation, recipients generally experience clinically significant, sustained improvement in their physical, social and emotional well being.

Glycemic control by a glucose management service and infection rates after liver transplantation.

Objective: To present an analysis of glycemic control before and after introduction of a dedicated glucose management service (GMS) and outcomes within 1 year after liver transplantation (LT).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients undergoing LT, who were treated with insulin infusions after LT, before and after introduction of a GMS. Outcome measures within 1 year after LT included graft rejection, infection, prolonged ventilation (>48 hours on a ventilator), and graft survival.

Quality of life for donors after living donor liver transplantation: a review of the literature.

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) decreases the shortage of liver grafts for patients in need of a liver transplant, but it involves 2 patients: a recipient and a living donor. Despite the magnitude of the procedure for LDLT donors, only a few studies have investigated the effect of LDLT on the quality of life (QOL) of donors. We performed a systematic search of the MEDLINE database to identify peer-reviewed articles assessing QOL in adults after LDLT donation.

Posttransplant hyperglycemia is associated with increased risk of liver allograft rejection.

Background: Intensive glycemic control has been shown to positively impact outcomes in an intensive care setting. Whether this practice is beneficial after liver transplantation (LT) is not known.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing LT from February 2002 to July 2007 was conducted to analyze the association between perioperative hyperglycemia and outcomes after LT.