慢性乙型肝炎和乙型肝炎肝硬化患者血清铁蛋白的变化

目的探讨血清铁蛋白(SF)与慢性乙型肝炎和乙型肝炎肝硬化患者病情的相关性,分析其与肝功能、肿瘤标志物等相关血清学指标在慢性肝病中的相关性,以探讨铁蛋白在肝损伤诊断中的意义。方法在38例慢性乙型肝炎患者和37例乙型肝炎肝硬化患者及30例健康人常规检测SF水平,采用Spearman秩相关分析其与血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、白蛋白(ALB)等肝功能指标及甲胎蛋白(AFP)、癌抗原125(CA125)等肿瘤标志物的关系。结果慢性乙型肝炎、乙型肝炎肝硬化和健康对照组SF水平分别为(216.79±24.46)μg/l、(220.47±39.38)μg/l和(71.23±4.69)μg/l,肝病患者显著高于健康人(P0.05);慢性乙型肝炎患者SF与ALT、AST、γ-谷氨酰转肽酶(γ-GT)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、总胆红素(TBIL)、AFP、癌抗原199(CA199)、癌抗原50(CA50)呈显著正相关,乙型肝炎肝硬化患者SF与AST、乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、AFP、Ca199、癌抗原724(CA724)、CA50呈显著正相关。结论慢性肝病患者SF与AST、AFP、CA199具有相关性。SF可作为肝脏疾病损伤诊断的重要参考指标,铁负荷增加可加重肝病患者肝细胞的损伤,铁蛋白水平对判断肝病病情、对疾病预后判断及开展干预治疗具有一定的指导意义。     

慢性肝病及肝癌患者血清铁蛋白的检测意义

目的研究慢性肝病及原发性肝癌患者血清铁蛋白(SF)含量变化,探讨SF在原发性肝癌发生过程中的作用。方法选取慢性乙型肝炎患者42例、乙型肝炎肝硬化患者40例及原发性肝癌患者50例,健康体检者45名,常规检测SF水平,对比各组SF水平的变化及与血清丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、白蛋白(Alb)等肝功能指标和甲胎蛋白(AFP)比较相关性。结果肝癌组患者SF水平明显高于慢性乙型肝炎及乙型肝炎肝硬化组患者;3组患者与健康体检组比较,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05);慢性乙型肝炎组患者SF与ALT、AST、AFP呈显著正相关,乙型肝炎肝硬化组患者SF与AST、AFP呈显著正相关,肝癌组患者SF与ALT、AFP呈正相关。在肿瘤的临床TNM分期中,肝癌组患者的SF与淋巴结转移及远处脏器转移呈正相关(P0.05),但与患者年龄和性别无明显相关(P0.05)。结论慢性肝病及肝癌患者SF与ALT和(或)AST、AFP具有相关性。SF可作为肝病诊断的重要参考指标,对判断肝癌患者的病情、疗效及预后有重要的临床价值,可作为肿瘤辅助诊断的指标。     

血清可溶性Endogin对肝硬化和肝细胞癌的诊断和鉴别诊断价值研究

目的 探讨肝硬化和肝细胞癌（HCC）患者血清可溶性Endogin（sEng）水平差异及其对鉴别诊断的临床意义。方法 2009年6月至2014年6月在我院就诊的乙型肝炎肝硬化患者77例、HCC患者54例和健康人36例,采用化学发光法检测血清甲胎蛋白（AFP）水平;采用ELISA法检测血清sEng;sEng与临床指标的相关性检验采用Pearson或Spearman相关分析;采用受试者工作特征曲线下面积（AUC）评价sEng及其联合AFP检测诊断HCC的价值;观察不同sEng水平的HCC患者3 a生存率的差异。结果 HCC患者血清sEng水平为19.71（15.16～23.56） ng/L,显著高于肝硬化患者[6.42（4.23～9.89） ng/L]和健康人[2.83（2.28～3.30） ng/L,P<0.05];HCC患者sEng与AFP水平呈正相关（r=0.660,P＜0.001）;sEng或sEng联合AFP鉴别HCC与健康人的AUC分别为0.912（95%CI：0.851～0.973）和0.951（95%CI：0.911～0.992）;sEng或sEng联合AFP鉴别HCC与肝硬化的AUC分别为0.849（95%CI：0.778～0.920）和0.920（95%CI：0.867～0.972）;高血清sEng水平（≥20.0ng/L）的HCC患者3 a生存率（24.0%）显著低于低血清sEng水平（<20.0 ng/L）者（41.4%,P<0.05）。结论 肝硬化与HCC患者血清sEng水平存在差异,可作为HCC患者诊断的参考指标。     

肝癌患者血清microRNA-21水平变化

目的：分析不同肝病患者血清microRNA-21（miR-21）水平,以探讨miR-21对肝细胞癌（HCC）的诊断价值。方法以实时定量逆转录PCR法检测正常人、慢性乙型肝炎（CHB）、肝硬化和HCC患者（各组均为25例）血清miR-21水平,分析miR-21水平与HCC临床病理学特征的关系。结果正常人、CHB和肝硬化患者血清miR-21相对水平分别为（1.1±1.7）、（2.3±2.6）和（2.8±2.5）,而HCC患者为（22.6±4.4）,显著高于前三组（P〈0.001）;HCC患者术后1w和1m血清miR-21相对水平分别为（18.4±3.5）和（3.1±2.7）,均较术前显著降低（P＜0.001）;HCC患者血清miR-21水平与肿瘤大小、癌栓以及HBV感染相关,与肿瘤分化程度、数目和血清AFP水平无相关性。结论 miR-21在HCC患者血清中显著升高,可能作为HCC早期诊断的潜在标志。     

血清高迁移率族蛋白1在乙型肝炎病毒相关慢加急性肝衰竭患者中的特点及其临床意义

目的 探讨血清高迁移率族蛋白1 (HMGB1)在HBV相关的慢加急性肝衰竭(HBV-ACLF)患者中的特点及其临床意义.方法 对60例HBV-ACLF患者血清HMGB1水平进行检测分析,并与30例慢性乙型肝炎患者和24例健康查体者进行对照研究,分析其与患者肝功能生物化学指标的相关性,并分析其与患者预后的关系.两组间比较采用独立样本的t检验或非参数检验,多组间比较采用方差分析,相关性分析采用多元线性回归法.结果 HBV-ACLF患者血清HMGB1水平高于慢性乙型肝炎患者[(10.03±3.08) μg/L比对(7.47+2.06) μg/L,t=2.667,P＜0.01],晚期HBV-ACLF患者血清HMGB1水平高于早期患者[(11.68±1.93) μg/L比对(9.11±3.15)μ g/L,t=2.214,P＜0.01],HBV-ACLF患者血清HMGB1水平与AST水平呈正相关(r=0.655,P＜0.01).随访2个月,感染组患者的HMGB1水平高于非感染组[(11.85±2.21)μ g/L比对(9.83±2.75) μg/L,Z=4.027,P＜0.05],死亡组患者的HMGB1水平高于生存组[(11.03±2.31)μg/L比对(9.52±3.01)μg/L,t=2.428,P＜0.05].结论 HBV-ACLF患者血清HMGB1水平随病情进展呈进行性升高,并可部分预测HBV-ACLF患者的预后.     

慢性乙型肝炎患者外周血HBsAg与HBV DNA相关性分析

目的探讨HBeAg（＋）和HBeAg（-）慢性乙型肝炎患者外周血HBsAg与HBV DNA的关系。方法定量检测HBeAg（＋）55例和HBeAg（-）36例慢性乙型肝炎患者血清HbsAg和HBV DNA的水平。结果 HBeAg（＋）患者血清HBV DNA、ALT和AST水平较HBeAg（-）患者高（P〈0.05）;HBeAg（＋）患者血清HBsAg水平较HBeAg（-）患者低（P〈0.05）;高水平血清HbsAg患者血清HBV DNA水平低（F=10.096,P〈0.01）;HBeAg（＋）慢性乙型肝炎患者HBsAg与HBV DNA存在负相关（r=-0.796,P〈0.01）,而HBeAg（-）慢性乙型肝炎患者HBsAg与HBV DNA无相关性（r=0.289,P〉0.05）。结论定量检测慢性乙型肝炎患者血清HBsAg水平有一定的临床意义。     

系统炎症指标在乙型肝炎肝硬化及乙型肝炎病毒相关肝细胞癌进展中的预测价值

目的探讨系统炎症指标系统炎症指数(system inflammation index,SII)、血小板/淋巴细胞比率(platelet to lymphocyte ratio,PLR)及单核细胞/淋巴细胞比率(monocyte to lymphocyte ratio,MLR)在乙型肝炎肝硬化及乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)相关肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)疾病进展中的预测价值。方法纳入2013年1月1日至2016年12月31日就诊于承德医学院附属医院的110例乙型肝炎患者、86例乙型肝炎肝硬化患者、70例HBV相关HCC患者及54例同期健康体检者为研究对象。检测各组血清白蛋白(albumin,ALB)、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(alanine aminotransferase,ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(aspartate aminotransferase,AST)、总胆红素(total bilirubin,TBil)、血清C反应蛋白(C reactive protein,CRP)、凝血酶原时间(prothrombin time,PT)、凝血酶原活动度(prothrombin activity,PTA)、中性粒细胞、淋巴细胞、血小板及单核细胞水平。计算SII、PLR及MLR。SII、PLR及MLR与各观察指标的相关性采用Pearson相关性分析。对患者进行随访,根据患者生存状况分为生存组(232例)和病死组(34例)。采用多元Logistic回归分析乙型肝炎肝硬化患者和HBV相关HCC患者病死的独立危险因素。采用受试者工作特征(receiver operator characteristic,ROC)曲线分析SII、PLR及MLR对乙型肝炎肝硬化及HBV相关HCC的诊断价值。结果对照组、乙型肝炎组、乙型肝炎肝硬化组及HBV相关HCC组患者ALB [(45.45±7.23)g/L vs(36.78±7.76)g/L vs(19.46±7.69)g/L vs(12.54±7.39)g/L]、ALT [(34.65±12.36)U/L vs(180.34±119.88)U/L vs(234.68±12.58)U/L vs(486.84±96.38)g/L]、AST [(25.34±13.45)U/L vs(147.42±15.67)U/L vs(263.39±15.84)U/L vs(447.96±16.54)g/L]、TBil [(12.65±1.61)μmol/L vs (69.99±29.80)μmol/L vs(162.63±10.36)μmol/L vs(355.84±23.69)μmol/L]、PT [(11.23±1.62)s vs(19.63±12.11)s vs(30.12±1.62)svs(45.46±12.11)s]、PTA [(80.23±11.09)%vs(62.15±10.43)%vs(50.16±11.54)%vs(40.11±10.37)%]及CRP [(30.23±9.57)mg/L vs(65.78±13.57)mg/L vs(105.69±21.17)mg/L vs(158.39±25.17)mg/L]水平差异有统计学意义(P均0.001)。其中乙型肝炎组、乙型肝炎肝硬化组及HBV相关HCC组患者ALT、AST、TBil、PT和CRP水平均显著高于对照组,ALB和PTA水平显著低于对照组;乙型肝炎肝硬化组和HBV相关HCC组患者ALT、AST、TBil、PT及CRP水平均显著高于乙型肝炎组,ALB和PTA水平显著低于乙型肝炎组;HBV相关HCC组患者ALT、AST、TBil、PT及CRP水平显著高于乙型肝炎肝硬化组,ALB和PTA水平显著低于乙型肝炎肝硬化组,差异均有统计学意义(P均0.001)。对照组、乙型肝炎组、乙型肝炎肝硬化组及HBV相关HCC组SII(365.41±42.36 vs 486.65±119.88 vs 541.63±72.58 vs 684.21±96.38)、PLR(93.21±13.45 vs 129.63±45.67 vs 168.63±55.84 vs 236.65±66.54)及MLR(0.16±0.03 vs 0.22±0.03 vs 0.28±0.05 vs 0.34±0.05)差异均有统计学意义(F值分别为65.654、54.541、23.654,P均0.001),其中乙型肝炎组、乙型肝炎肝硬化组及HBV相关HCC组显著高于对照组(P 0.001),乙型肝炎肝硬化组和HBV相关HCC组显著高于乙型肝炎组;HBV相关HCC组显著高于乙型肝炎肝硬化组,差异均有统计学意义(P均0.001)。SII、PLR、MLR与AST、ALT、TBil、PT和CRP呈正相关(r0.7,P0.001),与ALB和PTA呈负相关(r -0.7,P 0.001)。病死组SII(601.365±178.65 vs 486.32±119.36)、PLR(259.63±55.47 vs 156.36±66.63)及MLR(0.29±0.10 vs 0.24±0.05)水平显著高于生存组(P 0.001)。多元Logistic回归分析表明,SII≥486.32、PLR≥156.36、MLR≥0.24是乙型肝炎肝硬化患者和HBV相关HCC患者病死的独立危险因素(OR=2.36、2.48、3.16,P 0.05)。SII、PLR、MLR诊断乙型肝炎肝硬化及HBV相关HCC的ROC曲线下的面积(area under curve,AUC)分别为0.732(95%CI:0.699～0.793)、0.728(95%CI:0.658～0.768)和0.729(95%CI:0.653～0.771),差异无统计学意义(z=1.365,P=0.653)。结论高水平SII、PLR和MLR与乙型肝炎肝硬化和HBV相关HCC的进展密切相关,是患者病死的独立危险因素。SII、PLR、MLR对乙型肝炎肝硬化和HBV相关HCC具有一定诊断价值,可在临床中推广应用。     

乙型肝炎肝硬化患者外周血单个核细胞Toll样受体4的变化

目的探讨乙型肝炎肝硬化患者外周血单个核细胞TLR4的变化及意义。方法用流式细胞仪检测30例健康人、40例乙型肝炎肝硬化和30例慢性HBV携带者外周血单个核细胞表面TLR4的表达,采用ELISA法检测血清IL-6水平。结果乙型肝炎肝硬化患者TLR4及IL-6水平分别为13.5±4.6 MFI和80.5±36.5ng/L,均高于正常人（P〈0.01）;慢性HBV携带者TLR4水平为3.8±1.8MFI,与正常人无显著性差异（P〉0.05）,IL-6水平为45.6±36.8ng/L,明显升高（P〈0.01）;乙型肝炎肝硬化患者TLR4表达与IL-6水平呈正相关（γ=0.768,P〈0.01）,而HBV携带者TLR4表达与IL-6水平无显著性相关（γ=-0.775,P〉0.05）;乙型肝炎肝硬化患者TLR4表达及IL-6水平随着Child分级升高而依次升高。结论 TLR4可能与乙型肝炎肝硬化的发病及进展相关。     

肝硬化患者血清可溶性热休克蛋白水平与肠壁通透性的关系研究*

目的 检测肝硬化患者可溶性热休克蛋白（sHSP25和sHSP72）水平,探讨其与肠道通透性的关系。方法 采用ELISA 法检测55例肝硬化患者和19例健康人血浆sHSP25和sHSP72水平。以血二胺氧化酶（DAO）为肠道通透性的评价指标,使用分光光度法检测肝硬化患者血二胺氧化酶水平,采用改良鲎试验法测定肝硬化患者血清内毒素水平。结果 肝硬化患者血sHSP25水平[（205.8±52.2） μg/L]和sHSP72[（190.0±45.2） μg/L]水平显著高于健康人[分别为 （89.1±29.2） μg/L和（65.5±20.2） μg/L,P<0.001];肝硬化患者血内毒素水平显著高于健康人[（0.35±0.11） Eu/ml 对（0.04±0.02） Eu/ml,P<0.001];肝硬化患者血浆sHSP25和sHSP72水平与DAO或内毒素呈正相关（sHSP25：DAO,r2=0.479,P<0.01;内毒素：DAO,r2=0.573,P<0.01;sHSP72：DAO,r2=0.35,P<0.05;内毒素：DAO,r2=0.24,P<0.01）。结论 肝硬化患者血浆sHSP25和sHSP72水平升高,其与肠道通透性有一定的相关性。热休克蛋白表达增加可能为机体对内毒素血症的保护性反应。     

接受TACE治疗的肝细胞癌患者血清miR-335水平变化及其对预后判断的价值分析

目的探讨肝细胞癌(HCC)患者血清miR-335水平变化及其在经肝动脉栓塞化疗术(TACE)治疗后,对判断预后的价值。方法 2014年5月～2016年5月收治的HCC患者60例,慢性乙型肝炎患者50例,乙型肝炎肝硬化患者50例和选择的健康人50例,采用实时荧光定量反转录PCR法检测血清miR-335水平。给予HCC患者TACE治疗,并随访2年。计算受试者工作特征(ROC)曲线下面积(AUC),分析应用血清miR-335水平预测HCC患者预后的价值。结果 HCC患者血清miR-335水平为(1.18±1.35),显著低于乙型肝炎(1.91±2.11)和肝硬化患者(2.01±0.75),也显著低于正常人【(2.07±1.25),P=0.001】,肝硬化和慢性乙型肝炎患者血清miR-335水平与正常人比,差异均无统计学意义(P0.05);22例存在门静脉癌栓的HCC患者血清miR-335水平显著低于38例无癌栓患者(t=4.586,P0.001),13例死亡患者血清miR-335水平显著低于47例生存患者(t=3.324,P0.001),而不同性别、年龄、肿瘤大小、TNM分期、有无淋巴结转移和血清AFP水平高低患者,血清miR-335水平差异无统计学意义(P均0.05);随访2年,本组HCC患者死亡13例(21.7%)。以血清miR-335水平小于或等于0.820为截断点,判断患者2年内死亡的敏感性为83.0%,特异度为100.0%。结论 HCC患者血清miR-335水平显著降低,其水平越低,预后越差,该结论需要进一步研究。     

Ultrasound liver elastography beyond liver fibrosis assessment

Several guidelines have indicated that liver stiffness(LS) assessed by means of shear wave elastography(SWE) can safely replace liver biopsy in several clinical scenarios, particularly in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. However, an increase of LS may be due to some other clinical conditions not related to fibrosis,such as liver inflammation, acute hepatitis, obstructive cholestasis, liver congestion, infiltrative liver diseases. This review analyzes the role that SWE can play in cases of liver congestion due to right-sided heart failure, congenital heart diseases or valvular diseases. In patients with heart failure LS seems directly influenced by central venous pressure and can be used as a prognostic marker to predict cardiac events. The potential role of LS in evaluating liver disease beyond the stage of liver fibrosis has been investigated also in the hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome(SOS) and in the Budd-Chiari syndrome. In the hepatic SOS, an increase of LS is observed some days before the clinical manifestations;therefore, it could allow an early diagnosis to timely start an effective treatment.Moreover, it has been reported that patients that were successfully treated showed a LS decrease, that reached pre-transplantation value within two to four weeks. It has been reported that, in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome, LS values can be used to monitor short and long-term outcome after angioplasty.     

Recurrent nonviral liver disease following liver transplantation

Recurrent disease after liver transplantation is well recognized and remains a potential cause of premature graft loss. The rates of recurrence are difficult to establish because of the lack of consistency in diagnostic criteria and approaches to diagnosis. Owing to the fact that recurrent parenchymal disease may occur in the presence of normal liver tests, those centers that use protocol biopsies will report greater rates of recurrence. It is important to recognize that rates of recurrence vary according to indication and show little correlation with rates of graft loss from recurrent disease. Recurrance rates are greatest for primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis, and low reccurrance rates are reported for alcoholic liver disease and recurrent primary biliary cirrhosis. The impact of recurrent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is not yet clear. Patients and clinicians need to be aware of the possibility of recurrent disease in the differential diagnosis of abnormal liver tests, and management stategies may require alteration to reduce the impact of disease recurrence on outcome. Finally, an understanding of which diseases do recur after transplantation and identification of the risk factors may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms of these conditions.     

脂肪性肝病与原发性肝癌

脂肪性肝病是隐原性肝硬化的主要原因之一,其经过肝硬化进展至原发性肝癌的过程已被认可,但是近年来越来越多的研究证实脂肪性肝病本身存在有促肿瘤形成的机制,它可以不经过肝硬化而直接进展成原发性肝癌,两者之间的具体机制还未明确.此文就脂肪性肝病向原发性肝癌进展的可能机制作一综述.     

Auxiliary liver transplantation for acute liver failure

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute liver failure (ALF) who fulfil criteria, liver transplantation is the only effective treatment which can substitute metabolic and excretory function of the liver. Auxiliary liver transplantation was developed because a significant minority of patients with ALF who fulfil transplant criteria can have a complete morphological and functional recovery of their liver. The favourable outcome reported in European series using auxiliary partial orthotopic liver transplantation (APOLT), the greater experience as well as the lessons from split liver and from living related donors have revived interest in this approach. In selected patients aged <40 years without haemodynamic instability, the use of ABO-compatible, non-steatotic grafts harvested from young donors with normal liver function can restore liver function and prevent the occurrence of irreversible brain damage. In the majority of cases the auxiliary graft is a right graft which is placed orthotopically after a right hepatectomy in the recipient. After standard immunosuppression, the recovery of the native liver is assessed by biopsies, hepatobiliary scintigraphy and computed tomography. When, on the basis of histological, scintigraphical and morphological data, there is evidence of sufficient regeneration of the native liver, immunosuppression can be discontinued progressively. Complete regeneration of the native liver can be observed in >50% of patients, who can be withdrawn from immunosuppression. Therefore the advantages of auxiliary transplantation seem to balance favourably with the potential inconvenience of this technique in selected patients.     

非酒精性脂肪性肝病与肝硬化

非酒精性脂肪性肝病（Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD）发病与胰岛素抵抗（Insulin resistance, IR） 和遗传易感性密切相关,病理学改变与酒精性肝病（Alcoholic liver disease, ALD）相似,但无过量饮酒史^[1]。在此要强调NAFL与NASH的不同,NAFL是指病理活检显示肝脏脂肪变性,但是不具有肝纤维化或气球样变性的肝细胞损伤。NASH指在肝脏脂肪变基础上出现气球样肝细胞损伤伴或不伴肝纤维化^[2],NASH发生肝纤维化、肝硬化、肝细胞癌风险明显增高,而NAFL则很低^[2],NASH是NAFL发生肝硬化的必经阶段^[3]。     

中国肝癌肝移植的现状与展望

肝癌行肝移植治疗的指征、效果和相关问题一直存在争论,国际上已经有数个通用的肝癌肝移植标准,如Milan标准、Pittsburgh标准、UCSF标准等等,中国的移植学家们也在纷纷探讨适合中国的肝癌肝移植标准.本文收集并分析近年来国内外的文献,结合本移植中心460例肝移植的病例,对肝癌的分期标准、晚期肝癌行肝移植的指征进行了探讨,笔者认为影响我国肝癌肝移植的主要因素有:供肝的来源、术后乙肝及肿瘤的复发及相关社会因素等.     

Chronic liver diseases as liver tumor precursors

Liver cancer is a major global health problem and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for 75% of all liver carcinoma. HCC occurs more often in men than in women and mostly in people 50 to 60 years old. The disease is more common in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Asia than in North and South America and Europe. Nevertheless its incidence increased over the past 4 decades in some Western countries. Worldwide, liver carcinoma is the 5th most common cancer and 3rd most common cause of cancer mortality (behind only lung and colorectal cancer) with approximately 680,000 annual deaths. Unlike most of the other malignancies, HCC almost entirely develops in the context of inflammation and organ injury and is related to cirrhosis in about 85% of the cases. Among underlying etiologies of liver cirrhosis, most frequent are viral infection and toxic substances, mostly alcohol. The main HCC risk factor in Eastern Asia and Africa is hepatitis B virus infection. Hepatitis C virus infection is the main risk factor in Western countries. Hereditary hemochromatosis is not a very frequent cause of liver cirrhosis, but these patients are at higher risk for HCC compared with other etiologies of cirrhosis. Aflatoxins, cancer-causing substances made by a type of plant mold, can play a role in some countries in Asia and Africa, and can have a synergistic effect with hepatitis B infection.     

Fatty liver in liver transplantation and surgery

Steatosis of the liver is common in Western countries, affecting about 25% of donors for liver transplantation and 20% of patients undergoing liver resection. Transplantation of livers with severe steatosis (> 60%) is associated with a high risk of primary nonfunction, and these livers should not be used for organ donation. In contrast, transplantation with livers containing mild steatosis (< 30%) yields results similar to those of transplantation performed with nonfatty livers. The outcome of livers with moderate steatosis (30 to 60%) are varying, and the use of these organs depends on the existence of additional risk factors. Similarly, liver resection in patients with steatosis is associated with a risk of postoperative mortality when compared with patients with nonfatty livers (14% versus 2%). Although hepatic steatosis is an important risk factor for surgery, little is known about the mechanisms of injury. In animal experiments, steatosis is associated with decreased ATP production and a disturbance of sinusoidal flow. Further contributing factors may include Kupffer cell dysfunction and leukocyte adhesion. Fatty hepatocytes have reduced tolerance against ischemic injury with a predominant necrotic form of cell death. In addition, the ability of hepatocytes to regenerate after major tissue loss is impaired in the steatotic liver. Very few protective strategies are known. Ischemic preconditioning and intermittent clamping protect the human liver against prolonged periods of ischemia. These techniques appear to be particularly protective in the steatotic liver. New insights into the mechanisms of liver failure in steatotic organs are needed to decrease the risk of surgery and increase the pool of organ donors.