Deok‐Gie Kim

Carbapenem‐resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bacteremia (CRAB‐B) is a fatal infectious complication of liver transplantation (LT). This study investigated the incidence, effects, and risk factors associated with CRAB‐B during the early post‐LT period. Among 1051 eligible LT recipients, 29 patients experienced CRAB‐B within 30 days of LT with a cumulative incidence of 2.7%. In the patients with CRAB‐B ( n = 29) and matched controls ( n = 145) by nested‐case control design, the cumulative incidence of death on days 5, 10, and 30 from the index date was 58.6%, 65.5%, and 65.5%, and 2.1%, 2.8%, and 4.2%, respectively ( p < .001). Pre‐transplant MELD (OR 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–1.19, p = .002), severe encephalopathy (OR 4.62, 95% CI 1.24–18.61, p = .025), donor body mass index (OR .57, 95% CI .41–.75, p < .001), and reoperation (OR 6.40, 95% CI 1.19–36.82, p = .032) were independent risk factors for 30‐day CRAB‐B. CRAB‐B showed extremely high mortality within 30 days after LT, especially within 5 days after its occurrence. Therefore, assessment of risk factors and early detection of CRAB, followed by proper treatment, are necessary to control CRAB‐B after LT.