Modification of the current allocation system for donor livers in the United States to incorporate recipient serum sodium concentration ([Na]) has recently been proposed. However, the impact of this parameter on posttransplantation mortality has not been previously examined in a large risk-adjusted analysis. We assessed the effect of recipient [Na] on the survival of all adults with chronic liver disease who received a first single organ liver transplant in the UK and Ireland during the period March 1, 1994 to March 31, 2005 (n=5,152) at 3 years, during the first 90 days, and beyond the first 90 days, adjusting for a wide range of recipient, donor, and graft characteristics. Compared to those with normal [Na] (135-145 meq/L; n=3,066), severely hyponatremic recipients ([Na]<130 meq/L, n=541), had a higher risk-adjusted mortality at 3 years (hazard ratio [HR] 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.59; P<0.02). The excess mortality was, however, confined to the first 90 days (HR 1.55; 95% CI, 1.18-2.04; P<0.002) with no significant difference thereafter. This was also true for hypernatremic recipients ([Na]>45 meq/L, n=81), who had an even greater risk-adjusted mortality compared to normonatremic recipients (overall: HR 1.85; 95% CI, 1.25-2.73; P<0.002; <or=90 days: HR 2.29; 95% CI, 1.42-3.70; P<0.001; >90 days: HR 1.12; 95% CI, 0.55-2.29; P=0.8), whereas mildly hyponatremic recipients ([Na] 130-134 meq/L, n=1,127) had similar risk-adjusted mortality to those with normal [Na] at the same time points. In conclusion, recipient [Na] is an independent predictor of death following liver transplantation. Attempts to correct the [Na] toward the normal reference range are an important aspect of pretransplantation management.
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