Tacrolimus‐related seizure after pediatric liver transplantation – A single‐center experience

To identify the risk factors for new‐onset seizures after pediatric LT and to assess their clinical implications and long‐term prognosis. The clinical and laboratory data of 27 consecutive children who underwent LT from January 2007 to December 2010 in our center were analyzed retrospectively. Patients were divided into seizures group and a non‐seizures group. Pre‐operative, intra‐operative, and post‐operative data were collected. Seizures occurred in four children, an incidence of 14.8%. All exhibited generalized tonic–clonic seizures within the first two wk after LT. Univariate analysis showed that the risk factors associated with seizures after pediatric LT included gender, pediatric end‐stage liver disease score before surgery, Child–Pugh score before surgery, serum total bilirubin after surgery, and trough TAC level. Multivariate analysis showed that trough TAC level was the only independent risk factor associated with the seizures. All children who experienced seizures survived with good graft function and remained seizure‐free without anti‐epileptic drugs over a mean follow‐up period of 33.7 ± 14.6 months. High trough TAC level was the predominant factor that contributed to seizures in the early post‐operative period after pediatric LT. High PELD and Child‐Pugh scores before LT and high post‐operative serum Tbil may be contributory risk factors for TAC‐related seizures.