Impact of Dexmedetomidine on Acute Kidney Injury Following Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Impact of Dexmedetomidine on Acute Kidney Injury Following Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Randomized Controlled Study

Acute kidney injury (AKI) following liver transplantation (LT) is associated with increased costs, morbidity, and mortality. Dexmedetomidine has known to have anti-inflammatory effect and has been shown to ameliorate IRI in several organs. However, the impact of Dexmedetomidine on AKI after LT is not determined yet. Therefore, this study aims to observe the renal protective effects of Dexmedetomidine after LT.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) following liver transplantation (LT) has shown a wide range of incidence between 17% and 95% and is associated with increased costs, morbidity, and mortality. The etiology of AKI after LT is multifactorial. Among these factors, renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) caused by perioperative renal hypoperfusion is considered as one of the most important independent risk factors and recent reports have indicated that IRI is associated with an inflammatory cascade. Dexmedetomidine which is a highly selective agonist of α2-adrenergic receptors has known have anti-inflammatory effect and has been shown to ameliorate IRI in several organs. However, the impact of Dexmedetomidine on AKI after LT is not determined yet. Therefore, this study aims to observe the renal protective effects of Dexmedetomidine after LT.

Inclusion Criteria:

• living liver transplantation recipients

Exclusion Criteria:

• preoperative renal dysfunction
• dual living donor liver transplantation
• severe cerebral artery disease
• severe cardio-pulmonary disease