BACKGROUND: In the early period of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), initial poor graft function (IPGF) is one of the complications which leads to primary graft non-function (PGNF) in serious cases. This study set out to establish the clinical risk factors resulting in IPGF after OLT. METHODS: Eighty cases of OLT were analyzed. The IPGF group consisted of patients with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and/or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) above 1500 IU/L within 72 hours after OLT, while those in the non-IPGF group had values below 1500 IU/L. Recipient-associated factors before OLT analyzed were age, sex, primary liver disease and Child-Pugh classiifcation;factors analyzed within the peri-operative period were non-heart beating time (NHBT), cold ischemia time (CIT), rewarming ischemic time (RWIT), liver biopsy at the end of cold ischemia;and factors analyzed within 72 hours after OLT were ALT and/or AST values. A logistic regression model was applied to iflter the possible factors resulting in IPGF. RESULTS:Donor NHBT, CIT and RWIT were signiifcantly longer in the IPGF group than in the non-IPGF group;in the logistic regression model, NHBT was the risk factor leading to IPGF (P