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Marrone G, Giannelli V, Agnes S, Avolio AW, Baiocchi L, Berardi G, Ettorre GM, Ferri F, Corradini SG, Grieco A, Guglielmo N, Lenci I, Lionetti R, Mennini G, Milana M, Rossi M, Spoletini G, Tisone G, Manzia TM, Lai Q. Superiority of the new sex-adjusted models to remove the female disadvantage restoring equity in liver transplant allocation. Liver Int 2024; 44:103-112. [PMID: 37752798 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) and MELDNa are used worldwide to guide graft allocation in liver transplantation (LT). Evidence exists that females are penalized in the present allocation systems. Recently, new sex-adjusted scores have been proposed with improved performance respect to MELD and MELDNa. GEMA-Na, MELD 3.0, and sex-adjusted MELDNa were developed to improve the 90-day dropout prediction from the list. The present study aimed at evaluating the accuracy and calibration of these scores in an Italian setting. METHODS The primary outcome of the present study was the dropout from the list up to 90 days because of death or clinical deterioration. We retrospectively analysed data from 855 adults enlisted for liver transplantation in the Lazio region (Italy) (2012-2018). Ninety-day prediction of GEMA-Na, MELD 3.0 and sex-adjusted MELDNa with respect to MELD and MELDNa was analysed. Brier score and Brier Skill score were used for accuracy, and the Greenwood-Nam-D'Agostino test was used to evaluate the calibration of the models. RESULTS GEMA-Na (concordance = .82, 95% CI = .75-.89), MELD 3.0 (concordance = .81, 95% CI = .74-.87) and sex-adjusted MELDNa (concordance = .81, 95% CI = .74-.88) showed the best 90-day dropout prediction. GEMA-Na showed a higher increase in accuracy with respect to MELD (p = .03). No superiority was shown with respect to MELDNa. All the tested scores showed a good calibration of the models. Using GEMA-Na instead of MELD would potentially save one in nine dropouts and could save one dropout per 285 patients listed. CONCLUSIONS Validation and reclassification of the sex-adjusted score GEMA-Na confirm its superiority in predicting short-term dropout also in an Italian setting when compared with MELD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Marrone
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Salvatore Agnes
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Alfonso Wolfango Avolio
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Antonio Grieco
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Raffaella Lionetti
- Istituto Nazionale Malattie Infettive Lazzaro Spallanzani-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Gabriele Spoletini
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
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Walter Costa MB, Gärtner C, Schmidt M, Berg T, Seehofer D, Kaiser T. Revising the MELD Score to Address Sex-Bias in Liver Transplant Prioritization for a German Cohort. J Pers Med 2023; 13:963. [PMID: 37373952 DOI: 10.3390/jpm13060963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Prioritization of patients for liver transplantation in Germany relies on the MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) scoring system that does not consider the patient's sex. Many studies have shown that women are disadvantaged by the MELD score. Using a large patient cohort from a German liver transplant centre, we investigated options to reduce gender inequality in the patient prioritization for liver transplantation. (2) Methods: We calculated female-as-male MELD scores in our cohort by substituting the serum creatinine of a female patient with that of their male equivalent to test for the fairness of the scores. We investigated the effects of the female-as-male scores compared to the original MELD score of 1759 patients listed for liver transplantation. (3) Results: Serum creatinine sex correction (female-as-male) for MELD scores added up to 5.4 points in females, while the median changed by +1.6 points for females. We identified 72 females with an original MELD score < 20, for whom the adjusted female-as-male MELD score would be >20, thus giving them a better chance to receive a liver transplant. (4) Conclusions: Mathematical conversion of female to male creatinine concentrations identified disadvantages in liver transplantation prioritization for females and ascertained MELD 3.0 as having high potential to compensate for these inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Beatriz Walter Costa
- Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Leipzig University Medical Center, Paul-List-Straße 13/15, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Viral Ecology and Omics, Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Rosalind-Franklin Straße 1, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Christiane Gärtner
- Viral Ecology and Omics, Institute of Biodiversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Rosalind-Franklin Straße 1, D-07745 Jena, Germany
- Academic Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology and Pathobiochemistry, Medical School and University Medical Center East Westphalia-Lippe, Hospital Lippe, Bielefeld University, Röntgenstraße 18, D-32756 Detmold, Germany
| | - Maria Schmidt
- Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Leipzig University Medical Center, Paul-List-Straße 13/15, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Berg
- Division of Hepatology, Department of Medicine II, Leipzig University Medical Center, Liebigstraße 20, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Seehofer
- Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Visceral Transplant Surgery, Department of Visceral, Transplant, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Leipzig University Medical Center, Liebigstraße 20, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thorsten Kaiser
- Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Leipzig University Medical Center, Paul-List-Straße 13/15, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Academic Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology and Pathobiochemistry, Medical School and University Medical Center East Westphalia-Lippe, Hospital Lippe, Bielefeld University, Röntgenstraße 18, D-32756 Detmold, Germany
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Kwong A, Kim WR. Reply. Gastroenterology 2022; 162:1782-1783. [PMID: 35063443 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allison Kwong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - W Ray Kim
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University, Stanford, California
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