Objective:To explore the role of ductular reaction in assessing the efficacy of liver transplantation.Method:From January 2015 to December 2020, he relevant clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for 100 recipients and their corresponding donors at Shulan (Hangzhou) Hospital. They were assigned into two groups of hepatic steatosis (HS group, 65 cases) and non-hepatic steatosis (non-HS group, 35 cases) according to whether or not receiving steatosis donated liver. Furthermore, based upon the occurrence of early allograft dysfunction (EAD), the participants were categorized into two groups of EAD (33 cases) and non-EAD (67 cases). The degree of bile duct reaction ductular reaction was defined by the percentage of staining area occupied by cytokeratin 19 (CK19) -positive bile duct cells in immunohistochemical-stained specimens. Donor of ductular reaction were compared between HS/non-HS and EAD/non-EAD groups. The risk factors for EAD were identified by univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis. Subgroup analysis was conducted based upon the level of ductular reaction (DR number) in donors (DR=0.4 as a threshold) and whether or not donors exhibited steatosis. The impact of DR was examined on the incidence of EAD and survival post-liver transplantation in steatosis donors.Result:The level of DR was higher in steatosis donor than that in non-steatosis donor [ (0.59%±0.385%) vs. (0.32%±0.194%), P<0.01]. And it was higher in EAD group than that in non-EAD group [ (0.72%±0.449%) vs. (0.38%±0.226%), P<0.01]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a high level of ductular reaction was an independent risk factor for EAD post-liver transplantation in donor. Subgroup analysis revealed that receiving a steatosis donor with low ductular reaction (DR<0.4%) had comparable levels of EAD occurrence and overall survival rate to receiving a non-steatosis donor. Conclusion:Steatosis with low ductular reaction donor may be safely applied for liver transplantation. And assessing donor injury based upon ductular reaction can effectively expand the clinical application of steatosis donors.