Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the prediction of survival by donor’s serum cytokines in recipients of liver transplantation (LT). Methods Thirty-five patients underwent LT in our hospital between March 2015 and March 2017, and both the donor’s and recipients’ sera were obtained. Serum interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were assayed. The area under ROC (AUC) was drawn to predict the survivals by serum cytokines. Results At the end of three months of LT, 28 recipients survived, and 7 died; donors’ serum IL-6, IL-10, BNP and PCT levels in survived recipients were (76.9±13.5) pg/ml,(32.4±8.7)ng/L,(2806.1±357.5)ng/L and (7.4±1.8)ng/L, not significantly different as compared to 【(80.2±15.3) pg/ml,(28.6±7.9)ng/L,(2794.6±348.7)ng/L and (8.0±2.5)ng/L, respectively,P > 0.05】 of donors’ in the died recipients; serum IL-1β,IL-2 and TNF-α levels of donors’ in the survived recipients were (84.2±20.7)ng/ml,(95.1±17.6)pg/ml and (24.6±6.9)ng/L, significantly lower than 【(136.0±39.4)ng/ml,(119.2±31.1)pg/ml and (39.7±10.4)ng/L, respectively, P < 0.05】 of donors’ in died recipients; serum IL-1β,IL-2,IL-6,IL-10,TNF-α,BNP and PCTlevels in survived recipients were (118.3±39.6)ng/ml,(104.3±25.9)pg/ml,(78.3±16.1)pg/ml,(29.7±8.9)ng/L,(32.2±8.1)ng/L,(2776.3±240.5)ng/L and (7.6±1.1)ng/L], all not significantly different compared to 【(122.8±35.5)ng/ml,(105.7±23.4)pg/ml,(81.2±17.8)pg/ml,(30.3±8.1)ng/L,(30.1±7.6)ng/L,(2801.4±238.6)ng/L and (8.2±1.9)ng/L, respectively, P > 0.05】 in died recipients; the ROC analysis showed that theAUC of serum TNF-α in predicting the prognosis of LT were greater than 0.750 (0.612～0.907), and in 17 recipients with serum TNF-α≥33.5 pg/ml, 11 (64.7%) survived in 2-year follow-up, while in 18 with serum TNF-α<33.5 pg/ml, 17 (94.4%) survived (Log rank x²=9.272,P=0.002). Conclusion The detection of serum cytokine levels in donors might predict the survival of LT recipients, and monitoring serum TNF-α levels is recommended in this settings.

Key words: Liver transplantation, Donors, Cytokines, Survival