Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40387500›Full record

ArticleChinese medical journal2025

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related T-cell-mediated rejection increases the risk of perioperative graft loss after liver transplantation.

Li Pang, Yutian Lin, Tao Ding, Yanfang Ye, Kenglong Huang, Fapeng Zhang, Xinjun Lu, Guangxiang Gu, Haoming Lin, Leibo Xu and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chinese medical journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Li PangLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Yutian LinLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Tao DingDepartment of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
Yanfang YeClinical Research Design Division, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Kenglong HuangLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Fapeng ZhangLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Xinjun LuLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Guangxiang GuLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Haoming LinLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Leibo XuLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Kun HeDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528445, China.
Kwan ManDepartment of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China.
Chao LiuLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.
Wenrui WuLiver Transplantation Center, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510120, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPre-transplant exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) significantly increases the risk of allograft rejection after liver transplantation (LT); however, whether ICI-related rejection leads to increased graft loss remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between ICI-related allograft rejection and perioperative graft loss.

methodsThis was a retrospective analysis of adult liver transplant recipients with early biopsy-proven T-cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) at Liver Transplantation Center of Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital from June 2019 to September 2024. The pathological features, clinical characteristics, and perioperative graft survival were analyzed.

resultsTwenty-eight patients who underwent early TCMR between June 2019 and September 2024 were included. Based on pre-LT ICI exposure, recipients were categorized into ICI-related TCMR (irTCMR, n = 12) and conventional TCMR (cTCMR, n = 16) groups. Recipients with irTCMR had a higher median Banff rejection activity index (RAI) (6 vs . 5, P = 0.012) and more aggressive tissue damage and inflammation. Recipients with irTCMR showed higher proportion of treatment resistance, achieving a complete resolution rate of only 8/12 compared to 16/16 for cTCMR. Graft loss occurred in 5/12 of irTCMR recipients within 90 days after LT, with no graft loss in cTCMRs recipients. Cox analysis demonstrated that irTCMR with an ICI washout period of <30 days was an independent risk factor for perioperative graft loss (hazard ratio [HR], 6.540; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.067-40.067, P = 0.042).

conclusionIrTCMR is associated with severe pathological features, increased resistance to treatment, and higher graft loss in adult liver transplant recipients.

Indexed as

Graft RejectionImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsLiver TransplantationT-LymphocytesAdultAgedFemaleGraft SurvivalHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsAllograft rejectionGraft lossHepatocellular carcinomaImmunotherapyLiver transplantation

Identifiers

PMID40387500
PMCPMC12321468

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.