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Sierra L, Marenco-Flores A, Barba R, Goyes D, Ferrigno B, Diaz W, Medina-Morales E, Saberi B, Patwardhan VR, Bonder A. Influence of socioeconomic factors on liver transplant survival outcomes in patients with autoimmune liver disease in the United States. Ann Hepatol 2024; 29:101283. [PMID: 38151060 DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2023.101283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs): autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) have different survival outcomes after liver transplant (LT). Outcomes are influenced by factors including disease burden, medical comorbidities, and socioeconomic variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the United Network for Organ Sharing database (UNOS), we identified 13,702 patients with AILDs listed for LT between 2002 and 2021. Outcomes of interest were waitlist removal, post-LT patient survival, and post- LT graft survival. A stepwise multivariate analysis was performed adjusting for transplant recipient gender, race, diabetes mellitus, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and additional social determinants including the presence of education, reliance on public insurance, working for income, and U.S. citizenship status. RESULTS Lack of college education and having public insurance increased the risk of waitlist removal (HR, 1.13; 95 % CI, 1.05-1.23, and HR, 1.09; 95 % CI, 1.00-1.18; respectively), and negatively influenced post-LT patient survival (HR, 1.16; 95 % CI, 1.06-1.26, and HR, 1.15; 95 % CI, 1.06-1.25; respectively) and graft survival (HR, 1.13; 95 % CI, 1.05-1.23, and HR, 1.15; 95 % CI, 1.06-1.25; respectively). Not working for income proved to have the greatest detrimental impact on both patient survival (HR, 1.41; 95 % CI, 1.24-1.6) and graft survival (HR, 1.21; 95 % CI, 1.09-1.35). CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights that lack of college education and public insurance have a detrimental impact on waitlist mortality, patient survival, and graft survival. Not working for income negatively affects post-LT survival outcomes. Not having U.S. citizenship does not affect survival outcomes in AILDs patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Sierra
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ana Marenco-Flores
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Romelia Barba
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Daniela Goyes
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Bryan Ferrigno
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Wilfor Diaz
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Esli Medina-Morales
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Medical Science Building, 185 South Orange Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Behnam Saberi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Vilas R Patwardhan
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alan Bonder
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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2
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Samuel S, Choubey A, Koizumi N, Ekwenna O, Baxter PR, Li MH, Malik R, Ortiz J. Demographic inequities exist and influence transplant outcomes in liver transplantation for acute alcohol-associated hepatitis. HPB (Oxford) 2023:S1365-182X(23)00116-8. [PMID: 37088642 DOI: 10.1016/j.hpb.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Liver transplantation has inherent disparities but data is scarce in liver transplant (LT) candidates with acute alcohol-associated hepatitis (AAH). We aimed to investigate demographic inequities and its impact on survival outcomes among AAH LT candidates. METHODS A retrospective analysis using the United Network of Organ Sharing database was conducted between 2000 and 2021. 25 981 LT recipients with alcohol-associated liver cirrhosis and 662 recipients with AAH were included. Waitlisted candidates were also evaluated. RESULTS In comparison with alcohol-associated liver cirrhosis, AAH LT recipients were more likely Asian or "other" race and younger. Hispanics demonstrated better graft and patient survival (p < 0.05) but were less likely to be waitlisted and transplanted for AAH than for liver cirrhosis. Women with AAH were more likely to be waitlisted and transplanted. Pre-existing diabetes and male sex were associated with higher graft failure (25% and 8% respectively). Increasing recipient age were 2% more likely to experience negative outcomes. Chronicity of liver disease did not impact graft (p = 0.137) or patient survival (p = 0.145). CONCLUSION Our results revealed demographic factors have a significant impact on transplant listing, organ allocation and survival outcomes. Further investigations are imperative to minimize disparities in LT evaluation and provide equity in healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Samuel
- Department of Internal Medicine, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
| | - Ankur Choubey
- Department of Surgery, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Naoru Koizumi
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Obi Ekwenna
- Department of Urology, The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, 43614, USA
| | - Patrick R Baxter
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Meng-Hao Li
- Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Raza Malik
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, 12208, USA
| | - Jorge Ortiz
- Department of Surgery, Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, NY, 14215, USA
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3
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Katz-Greenberg G, Samoylova ML, Shaw BI, Peskoe S, Mohottige D, Boulware LE, Wang V, McElroy LM. Association of the Affordable Care Act on Access to and Outcomes After Kidney or Liver Transplant: A Transplant Registry Study. Transplant Proc 2023; 55:56-65. [PMID: 36623960 PMCID: PMC11025621 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on payor mix among patients on the kidney and liver transplant waiting list as well as waiting list and post-transplant outcomes. DESIGN Using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, we performed a secondary data analysis of all patients on the kidney and liver transplant waiting list from 2007 to 2018. We described changes in payor mix by timing of state Medicaid expansion. We used competing risks models to estimate cause-specific hazard ratios for the effects of insurance and era on death/delisting and transplant. We used a Poisson regression model to estimate the effect of insurance and era on incidence rate ratio of inactivations on the waiting list. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the effect of insurance and era on graft and patient survival. RESULTS A decade after implementation of the ACA, the prevalence of Medicaid beneficiaries listed for transplant increased by 2.5% (from 7.4% to 9.9%) for kidney and by 2.6% (15.3% to 17.9%) for liver. Expansion states had greater increases than nonexpansion states (kidney 3.8% vs 0.6%, liver 5.3% vs -1.8%). Among wait-listed patients, the magnitude of association of Medicaid insurance vs private insurance with transplant decreased over time for kidney candidates (era 1 subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR), 0.62 [95% CI, 0.60-0.64] vs era 3 SHR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.74-0.70]) but increased for liver candidates (era 1 SHR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.83-0.90] vs era 3 SHR 0.79 [95% CI, 0.77-0.82]). Medicaid-insured kidney and liver recipients had greater hazards of graft failure; this did not change over time (kidney: HR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.06-1.44] liver: HR, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.94-1.17]). CONCLUSIONS For the millions of patients with chronic kidney and liver diseases, implementation of the ACA has resulted in only modest increases in access to transplant for the publicly insured vs the privately insured.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brian I Shaw
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Sarah Peskoe
- Department of Biostatistics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - L Ebony Boulware
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Virginia Wang
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Center of Innovation for Health Services Research and Development, Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Lisa M McElroy
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
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4
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Braun HJ, Ascher NL. Travel for Transplantation: A Review of Domestic and International Travel for Liver Transplantation in the United States. Clin Liver Dis (Hoboken) 2021; 18:292-296. [PMID: 34976374 PMCID: PMC8688895 DOI: 10.1002/cld.1151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Content available: Audio Recording.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary J. Braun
- Division of TransplantDepartment of SurgeryUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCA
| | - Nancy L. Ascher
- Division of TransplantDepartment of SurgeryUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCA
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5
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Huang DC, Fricker ZP, Alqahtani S, Tamim H, Saberi B, Bonder A. The influence of equitable access policies and socioeconomic factors on post-liver transplant survival. EClinicalMedicine 2021; 41:101137. [PMID: 34585128 PMCID: PMC8452797 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Survival following liver transplant (LT) is influenced by a variety of factors, including donor risk factors and recipient disease burden and co-morbidities. It is difficult to separate these effects from those of socioeconomic factors, such as income or insurance. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) created equitable access policies, such as Share 35, to ensure that organs are distributed to individuals with greatest medical need; however, the effect of Share 35 on disparities in post-LT survival is not clear. This study aimed to (1) characterize associations between post-transplant survival and race and ethnicity, income, insurance, and citizenship status, when adjusted for other clinical and demographic factors that may influence survival, and (2) determine if the direction of associations changed after Share 35. METHODS A retrospective, cohort study of adult LT recipients (n = 83,254) from the UNOS database from 2005 to 2019 was conducted. Kaplan-Meier survival graphs and stepwise multivariate cox-regression analyses were performed to characterize the effects of socioeconomic status on post-LT survival, adjusted for recipient and donor characteristics, across the time period and after Share 35. FINDINGS Male sex (HR: 0.93 (95% CI: 0.90-0.96)), private insurance (0.91 (0.88-0.94)), income (0.82 (0.79-0.85)), U.S. citizenship, and Asian (0.81 (0.75-0.88)) or Hispanic (0.82 (0.79-0.86)) race and ethnicity were associated with higher post-transplant survival, after adjustment for clinical and demographic factors (Table 3). These associations were found across the entire time period studied and many persisted after the implementation of Share 35 in 2013 (Table 3; male sex (0.84 (0.79-0.90)), private insurance (0.94 (0.89-1.00)), income (0.82 (0.77-0.89)), and Asian (0.87 (0.73-1.02)) or Hispanic (0.88 (0.81-0.96)) race and ethnicity). INTERPRETATION Recipients' socioeconomic factors at time of transplant may impact long-term post-transplant survival, and a single policy may not significantly alter these structural health inequalities. FUNDING None.
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Key Words
- DDLT, deceased donor living transplant
- DM, diabetes mellitus
- DRI, donor risk index
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HCV, hepatitis c virus
- HE, hepatic encephalopathy
- Health disparities
- IQR, interquartile range
- IRB, institutional review board
- LT, liver transplant
- Liver transplant
- MELD, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease
- NAFLD, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- OPTN, Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network
- STAR, Standard Transplant Analysis and Research
- Socioeconomic factors
- UNOS, United Network for Organ Sharing
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora C Huang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Zachary P Fricker
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Saleh Alqahtani
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hani Tamim
- Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Behnam Saberi
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alan Bonder
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Corresponding author.
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6
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The Final Rule clearly states that geography should not be a determinant of a chance of a potential candidate being transplanted. There have been multiple concerns about geographic disparities in patients in need of solid organ transplantation. Allocation policy adjustments have been designed to address these concerns, but there is little evidence that the disparities have been solved. The purpose of this review is to describe the main drivers of geographic disparities in solid organ transplantation and how allocation policy changes and other potential actions could impact these inequalities. RECENT FINDINGS Geographical disparities have been reported in kidney, pancreas, liver, and lung transplantation. Organ Procurement and Transplant Network has modified organ allocation rules to underplay geography as a key determinant of a candidates' chance of receiving an organ. Thus, heart, lung, and more recently liver and Kidney Allocation Systems have incorporated broader organ sharing to reduce geographical disparities. Whether these policy adjustments will indeed eliminate geographical disparities are still unclear. SUMMARY Modern allocation policy focus in patients need, regardless of geography. Innovative actions to further reduce geographical disparities are needed.
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7
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Menahem B, Dejardin O, Alves A, Launay L, Lubrano J, Duvoux C, Laurent A, Launoy AG. Socioeconomic Deprivation Does Not Impact Liver Transplantation Outcome for HCC: A Survival Analysis From a National Database. Transplantation 2021; 105:1061-1068. [PMID: 32541559 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To investigate the value of European deprivation index (EDI) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) characteristics and their relationships with outcome after liver transplantation (LT). METHODS Patients undergoing LT for HCC were included from a national database (from "Agence de la Biomédecine" between 2006 and 2016. Characteristics of the patients were blindly extracted from the database. Thus, EDI was calculated in 5 quintiles and prognosis factors of survival were determined according to a Cox model. RESULTS Among the 3865 included patients, 33.9% were in the fifth quintile (quintile 1, N = 562 [14.5%]; quintile 2, N = 647 [16.7%]; quintile 3, N = 654 [16.9%]; quintile 4, N = 688 [17.8%]). Patients in each quintile were comparable regarding HCC history, especially median size of HCC, number of nodules of HCC and alpha-fetoprotein score. In the univariate analysis of the crude survival, having >2 nodules of HCC before LT and time on waiting list were associated with a higher risk of death (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.03, respectively). EDI, size of HCC, model for end-stage liver disease score, Child-Pugh score were not statistically significant in the crude and net survival. In both survival, time on waiting list and number of HCC ≥2 were independent factor of mortality after LT for HCC (P = 0.009 and 0.001, respectively, and P = 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS EDI does not impact overall survival after LT for HCC. Number of HCC and time on waiting list are independent prognostic factors of survival after LT for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Menahem
- Department of Digestive Surgery, CHU de Caen, Caen cedex, France
- Anticipe, INSERM U1086, Pôle de Recherche du CHU de Caen, Centre François Baclesse, Caen cedex, France
| | - Olivier Dejardin
- Anticipe, INSERM U1086, Pôle de Recherche du CHU de Caen, Centre François Baclesse, Caen cedex, France
- Department of Research, CHU de Caen, Caen cedex, France
| | - Arnaud Alves
- Department of Digestive Surgery, CHU de Caen, Caen cedex, France
- Anticipe, INSERM U1086, Pôle de Recherche du CHU de Caen, Centre François Baclesse, Caen cedex, France
| | - Ludivine Launay
- Anticipe, INSERM U1086, Pôle de Recherche du CHU de Caen, Centre François Baclesse, Caen cedex, France
| | - Jean Lubrano
- Department of Digestive Surgery, CHU de Caen, Caen cedex, France
- Anticipe, INSERM U1086, Pôle de Recherche du CHU de Caen, Centre François Baclesse, Caen cedex, France
| | - Christophe Duvoux
- Department of Hepatology, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
| | - Alexis Laurent
- Department of Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Créteil, France
- INSERM, UMR 955, Créteil, France
| | - And Guy Launoy
- Anticipe, INSERM U1086, Pôle de Recherche du CHU de Caen, Centre François Baclesse, Caen cedex, France
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8
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Wahid NA, Rosenblatt R, Brown RS. A Review of the Current State of Liver Transplantation Disparities. Liver Transpl 2021; 27:434-443. [PMID: 33615698 DOI: 10.1002/lt.25964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Equity in access is one of the core goals of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN). However, disparities in liver transplantation have been described since the passage of the National Organ Transplant Act, which established OPTN in the 1980s. During the past few decades, several efforts have been made by the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) to address disparities in liver transplantation with notable improvements in many areas. Nonetheless, disparities have persisted across insurance type, sex, race/ethnicity, geographic area, and age. African Americans have lower rates of referral to transplant centers, females have lower rates of transplantation from the liver waiting list than males, and public insurance is associated with worse posttransplant outcomes than private insurance. In addition, pediatric candidates and older adults have a disadvantage on the liver transplant waiting list, and there are widespread regional disparities in transplantation. Given the large degree of inequity in liver transplantation, there is a tremendous need for studies to propose and model policy changes that may make the liver transplant system more just and equitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabeel A Wahid
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine/New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - Russell Rosenblatt
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Robert S Brown
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
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9
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A Systematic Review for Variables to Be Collected in a Transplant Database for Improving Risk Prediction. Transplantation 2020; 103:2591-2601. [PMID: 30768569 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000002652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This systematic review was commissioned to identify new variables associated with transplant outcomes that are not currently collected by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). METHODS We identified 81 unique studies including 1 193 410 patients with median follow-up of 36 months posttransplant, reporting 108 unique risk factors. RESULTS Most risk factors (104) were recipient related; few (4) were donor related. Most risk factors were judged to be practical and feasible to routinely collect. Relative association measures were small to moderate for most risk factors (ranging between 1.0 and 2.0). The strongest relative association measure for a heart transplant outcome with a risk factor was 8.6 (recipient with the previous Fontan operation), for a kidney transplant 2.8 (sickle cell nephropathy as primary cause of end-stage renal disease), for a liver transplant 14.3 (recipient serum ferritin >500 µg/L), and for a lung transplant 6.3 (Burkholderia cepacia complex infection for 1 y or less). OPTN may consider some of these 108 variables for future collection to enhance transplant research and clinical care. CONCLUSIONS Evidence-based approaches can be used to determine variables collected in databases and registries. Several candidate variables have been identified for OPTN.
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10
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Geographic Disparities in Liver Allocation and Distribution in the United States: Where Are We Now? Transplant Proc 2019; 51:3205-3212. [PMID: 31732201 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2019.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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11
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Jesse MT, Abouljoud M, Goldstein ED, Rebhan N, Ho CX, Macaulay T, Bebanic M, Shkokani L, Moonka D, Yoshida A. Racial disparities in patient selection for liver transplantation: An ongoing challenge. Clin Transplant 2019; 33:e13714. [PMID: 31532023 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.13714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Ample evidence suggests continued racial disparities once listed for liver transplantation, though few studies examine disparities in the selection process for listing. The objective of this study, via retrospective chart review, was to determine whether listing for liver transplantation was influenced by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity. We identified 1968 patients with end-stage liver disease who underwent evaluation at a large, Midwestern center from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2012 (72.9% white, 19.6% black, and 7.5% other). Over half (54.6%) of evaluated patients were listed; the three most common reasons for not listing were medical contraindications (11.9%), patient expired during evaluation (7.0%), and psychosocial contraindications (5.9%). In multivariable logistic regressions (listed vs not listed), across the three racial categories, the odds of being listed were lower for alcohol-induced hepatitis (±hepatitis C), unmarried, more than one insurance, inadequate insurance, and lower annual household income quartile. Similar factors predicted time to transplant listing, including being identified as black race. Black race, even when adjusting for the above mentioned medical and socioeconomic factors, was associated with 26% lower odds of being listed and a longer time to listing decision compared to all other patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle T Jesse
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI.,Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Behavioral Health, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI.,Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
| | - Marwan Abouljoud
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI.,Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
| | | | | | - Chuan-Xing Ho
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
| | | | - Mubera Bebanic
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
| | - Lina Shkokani
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
| | - Dilip Moonka
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI.,Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
| | - Atsushi Yoshida
- Transplant Institute, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI.,Transplant and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
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12
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Kwong AJ, Mannalithara A, Heimbach J, Prentice MA, Kim WR. Migration of Patients for Liver Transplantation and Waitlist Outcomes. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2019; 17:2347-2355.e5. [PMID: 31077826 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2019.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Patients in need of liver transplantation may travel to improve their chance of receiving an organ. We evaluated factors to determine which transplant candidates travel to other regions to increase their chances of receiving a liver and effects of travel on waitlist outcomes. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of all adult patients registered for primary deceased donor liver transplantation in the United States from January 2004 to December 2016. Zip code data were used to calculate the travel distance from a patient's residence to centers at which they were on the waitlist or received a liver transplant. Distant listing and migration were defined as placement on a waitlist and receipt of liver transplantation, respectively, outside the home transplantation region and greater than 500 miles from the home zip code. We assessed the effect of distant listing on outcomes (death and liver transplantation) and predictors of distant listing or migration using multivariable analyses. RESULTS There were 104,914 waitlist registrations during the study period; of these, 2930 (2.8%) pursued listing at a distant center. Of waitlist registrants, 60,985 received liver transplants, of whom 1985 (3.3%) had migrated. In a multivariable competing risk analysis in which liver transplantation was considered as a competing event, distant listing was associated with a 22% reduction in the risk of death within 1 year (subhazard ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.70-0.88). Distant listing and migration were associated with non-black race, non-Medicaid payer, residence in a higher income area, and education beyond high school. CONCLUSIONS Placement on a liver transplant waitlist outside the home transplantation region is associated with reduced waitlist mortality and an increased probability of receiving a liver transplant. Geographic disparities in access to liver transplantation have disproportionate effects on patients who are minorities, have lower levels of education, or have public insurance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Kwong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Division of Gastroenterology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Ajitha Mannalithara
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Julie Heimbach
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
| | | | - W Ray Kim
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
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13
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Rudasill SE, Sanaiha Y, Kwon M, Mardock AL, Khoury H, Omari B, Rabkin DG, Benharash P. Understanding lung transplant listing practices: Survival in lung transplant candidates who improve clinically to delisting. Surgery 2019; 166:1142-1147. [PMID: 31421870 DOI: 10.1016/j.surg.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Occasionally, lung transplant candidates improve to the point where they are removed from the transplant list. We sought to determine the characteristics and outcomes of lung transplant candidates who improved to delisting both before and after implementation of the lung allocation score. METHODS Using the United Network for Organ Sharing database, we reviewed all adult patients listed for lung transplant between 1987 and 2012. The last permanent status change was classified into transplanted, improved to delisting (improved), or deteriorated to delisting (deteriorated). Survival time was calculated using the linked date of death from the Social Security Administration. Survival analysis was performed via the Kaplan-Meier method, and adjusted multivariable logistic regressions identified characteristics predicting improvement to delisting. RESULTS Of 13,688 candidates, 12,188 (89.0%) were transplanted, 454 (3.3%) improved, and 1,046 (7.6%) deteriorated. The 5-year mortality was greater in improved (hazard ratio = 1.21 [1.07-1.38], P = .002) and deteriorated (hazard ratio = 3.36 [3.11-3.64], P < .001) candidates relative to those transplanted; however, 1-year survival was greater in improved versus transplanted candidates (75.9% vs 67.2%, log rank P < .001). Older, female patients listed for primary pulmonary hypertension and retransplantation were more likely to improve to delisting. The proportion of improved patients varied by hospital quartile volume (P < .001) and the United Network for Organ Sharing geographic region (P < .001). The number of patients improving to delisting decreased after implementation of the lung allocation score. CONCLUSION Lung transplant candidates improving to delisting faced less short-term but greater long-term mortality relative to transplanted candidates. Given that the improved population decreased dramatically after implementation of the lung allocation score, redefining patient listing criteria appears to have improved patient appropriateness for transplant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Rudasill
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB) at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Yas Sanaiha
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB) at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Murray Kwon
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Alexandra L Mardock
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB) at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Habib Khoury
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB) at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Bassam Omari
- Department of Surgery, Harbor UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - David G Rabkin
- Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Loma Linda, CA
| | - Peyman Benharash
- Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Laboratories (CORELAB) at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles; Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles.
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14
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Liu CC, Lu CL, Notobroto HB, Tsai CC, Wen PH, Li CY. Individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status in the prediction of liver transplantation among patients with liver disease: A population-based cohort study in Taiwan. Medicine (Baltimore) 2019; 98:e14849. [PMID: 30882681 PMCID: PMC6426624 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000014849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the fact that >80% of liver transplantations (LTs) were living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in Taiwan, we conducted this study to assess whether patients with lower socioeconomic status are subject to a lower chance of receiving hepatic transplantation.This was a cohort study including 197,082 liver disease patients admitted in 1997 to 2013, who were at higher risk of LT. Personal monthly income and median family income of living areas were used to indicate individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status, respectively. Cox proportional hazard model that considered death as a competing risk event was used to estimate subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR) of LT in association with socioeconomic status.Totally 2204 patients received LT during follow-up, representing a cumulative incidence of 1.12% and an incidence rate of 20.54 per 10 person-years. After adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, co-morbidity, location/urbanization level of residential areas, we found that patients with < median monthly income experienced significantly lower incidence of LT (aHR = 0.802, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.717-0.898), but those with >- median monthly income had significantly elevated incidence of LT (aHR = 1.679, 95% CI = 1.482-1.903), as compared to those who were not actively employed. Additionally, compared to areas with the lowest quartile of median family income, the highest quartile of median family income was also associated with significantly higher incidence rate of LT (aHR = 1.248, 95% CI = 1.055-1.478).Higher individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status were significantly associated with higher incidence of LT among patients with higher risk of LT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Chu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tainan Sin-Lau Hospital, Tainan
- Department of Health Care Administration, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan
| | - Chin-Li Lu
- Graduate Institute of Food Safety, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hari Basuki Notobroto
- Department of Biostatistics and Population Studies, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Chiang-Chin Tsai
- Department of Health Care Administration, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan
- Department of Surgery, Tainan Sin-Lau Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Hung Wen
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University
- Department of Surgery, E-DA Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University
- Department of Surgery, E-DA Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung
| | - Chung-Yi Li
- Department of Biostatistics and Population Studies, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University
- Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
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15
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Ferrante ND, Goldberg DS. Transplantation in foreign nationals: Lower rates of waitlist mortality and higher rates of lost to follow-up posttransplant. Am J Transplant 2018; 18:2663-2669. [PMID: 29981179 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.15005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
A controversial issue in the transplant community is whether or not to provide deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) to noncitizen/nonresidents (NCNRs) who travel for liver transplantation (LT). The expectation is that transplantation of NCNRs will not compromise access for US citizens/residents (USCRs), and that NCNRs would have similar post-LT follow-up. This has never been formally assessed. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data from February 27, 2002 to December 31, 2016 were used to identify NCNRs and compare to USCRs, excluding Status 1 adults. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze waitlist outcomes, and competing risk analysis was used to assess rates of lost to follow-up post-LT. From February 27, 2002 to December 31, 2016, 1260 NCNRs were listed for LT (0.86% of listings). Adjusted probability of DDLT was not significantly different for NCNRs and USCRs (P > .5), but NCNRs were significantly less likely to be removed from the waitlist for death or clinical deterioration (aOR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.69-0.93, P = .003). In multivariable competing risk models, NCNRs had an 11-fold higher risk of being lost to follow-up after accounting for the competing risk of death (SHR: 11.44, 95% CI: 8.72-15.01, P < .001), as well as lower rates of posttransplant mortality (SHR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49-0.91, P = .012). Our findings speak to the need to standardize practices for NCNRs and set expectations for post-LT care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole D Ferrante
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of the, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - David S Goldberg
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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16
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Gartner DR, Doll KM, Hummer RA, Robinson WR. Contemporary Geographic Variation and Sociodemographic Correlates of Hysterectomy Rates Among Reproductive-Age Women. South Med J 2018; 111:585-590. [PMID: 30285263 PMCID: PMC6177230 DOI: 10.14423/smj.0000000000000870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE For decades hysterectomy rates have famously demonstrated unexplained geographic variation. The aim of this study was to identify county-level correlates of hysterectomy rates among reproductive-age women. METHODS Using county-level data from multiple sources, linked with claims-based surveillance data of every hysterectomy performed among women ages 20 to 44 in North Carolina from 2011 to 2013 (N = 7180), we explored social, economic, and healthcare factors associated with county-level rates. RESULTS After accounting for spatial autocorrelation, county-level hysterectomy rates were negatively associated with county-level median household income, positively associated with the proportion married, and not associated with measures of healthcare capacity or access. CONCLUSIONS This analysis provides preliminary evidence that contemporary hysterectomy use in North Carolina occurs along socioeconomic lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle R Gartner
- From the Carolina Population Center, and the Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Kemi M Doll
- From the Carolina Population Center, and the Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Robert A Hummer
- From the Carolina Population Center, and the Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Whitney R Robinson
- From the Carolina Population Center, and the Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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17
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18
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Demographic and Urbanization Disparities of Liver Transplantation in Taiwan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15020177. [PMID: 29360736 PMCID: PMC5857045 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15020177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Limited access to or receipt of liver transplantation (LT) may jeopardize survival of patients with end-stage liver diseases. Taiwan launched its National Health Insurance (NHI) program in 1995, which essentially removes financial barriers to health care. This study aims to investigate where there are still demographic and urbanization disparities of LT after 15 years of NHI program implementation. Data analyzed in this study were retrieved from Taiwan’s NHI inpatient claims. A total of 3020 people aged ≥18 years received LT between 2000 and 2013. We calculated crude and adjusted prevalence rate of LT according to secular year, age, sex, and urbanization. The multiple Poisson regression model was further employed to assess the independent effects of demographics and urbanization on prevalence of LT. The biennial number of people receiving LT substantially increased from 56 in 2000–2001 to 880 in 2012–2013, representing a prevalence rate of 1.63 and 18.58 per 106, respectively. Such increasing secular trend was independent of sex. The prevalence was consistently higher in men than in women. The prevalence also increased with age in people <65 years, but dropped sharply in the elderly (≥65 years) people. We noted a significant disparity of LT in areas with different levels of urbanization. Compared to urban areas, satellite (prevalence rate ratio (PRR), 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.57–0.69) and rural (PRR, 0.76, 95% CI, 0.69–0.83) areas were both associated with a significantly lower prevalence of LT. There are still significant demographic and urbanization disparities in LT after 15 years of NHI program implementation. Given the predominance of living donor liver transplantation in Taiwan, further studies should be conducted to investigate factors associated with having a potential living donor for LT.
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19
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Giwa S, Lewis JK, Alvarez L, Langer R, Roth AE, Church GM, Markmann JF, Sachs DH, Chandraker A, Wertheim JA, Rothblatt M, Boyden ES, Eidbo E, Lee WPA, Pomahac B, Brandacher G, Weinstock DM, Elliott G, Nelson D, Acker JP, Uygun K, Schmalz B, Weegman BP, Tocchio A, Fahy GM, Storey KB, Rubinsky B, Bischof J, Elliott JAW, Woodruff TK, Morris GJ, Demirci U, Brockbank KGM, Woods EJ, Ben RN, Baust JG, Gao D, Fuller B, Rabin Y, Kravitz DC, Taylor MJ, Toner M. The promise of organ and tissue preservation to transform medicine. Nat Biotechnol 2017; 35:530-542. [PMID: 28591112 PMCID: PMC5724041 DOI: 10.1038/nbt.3889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 298] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to replace organs and tissues on demand could save or improve millions of lives each year globally and create public health benefits on par with curing cancer. Unmet needs for organ and tissue preservation place enormous logistical limitations on transplantation, regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and a variety of rapidly advancing areas spanning biomedicine. A growing coalition of researchers, clinicians, advocacy organizations, academic institutions, and other stakeholders has assembled to address the unmet need for preservation advances, outlining remaining challenges and identifying areas of underinvestment and untapped opportunities. Meanwhile, recent discoveries provide proofs of principle for breakthroughs in a family of research areas surrounding biopreservation. These developments indicate that a new paradigm, integrating multiple existing preservation approaches and new technologies that have flourished in the past 10 years, could transform preservation research. Capitalizing on these opportunities will require engagement across many research areas and stakeholder groups. A coordinated effort is needed to expedite preservation advances that can transform several areas of medicine and medical science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Giwa
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Sylvatica Biotech, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Ossium Health, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jedediah K Lewis
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Regenerative Biology Research Group, Cancer and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Life Science, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, USA
| | - Robert Langer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alvin E Roth
- Department of Economics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - James F Markmann
- Division of Transplant Surgery, Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David H Sachs
- Columbia Center for Translational Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anil Chandraker
- American Society of Transplantation, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, USA
- Transplantation Research Center, Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jason A Wertheim
- American Society of Transplant Surgeons, Arlington Virginia, USA
- Comprehensive Transplant Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Edward S Boyden
- MIT Media Lab and McGovern Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elling Eidbo
- Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, Vienna, Virginia, USA
| | - W P Andrew Lee
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Bohdan Pomahac
- Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gerald Brandacher
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David M Weinstock
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gloria Elliott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
| | - David Nelson
- Department of Transplant Medicine, Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute, Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jason P Acker
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Society for Cryobiology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Korkut Uygun
- Department of Surgery, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Boris Schmalz
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Brad P Weegman
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Sylvatica Biotech, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Alessandro Tocchio
- Organ Preservation Alliance, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Greg M Fahy
- 21st Century Medicine, Fontana, California, USA
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Boris Rubinsky
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - John Bischof
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Janet A W Elliott
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Teresa K Woodruff
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Reproductive Science in Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Utkan Demirci
- Department of Radiology, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Electrical Engineering (by courtesy), Stanford, California, USA
| | | | - Erik J Woods
- Ossium Health, San Francisco, California, USA
- Society for Cryobiology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Robert N Ben
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - John G Baust
- Department of Biological Sciences, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Dayong Gao
- Society for Cryobiology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Barry Fuller
- Division of Surgery &Interventional Science, University College Medical School, Royal Free Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Yoed Rabin
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Michael J Taylor
- Sylvatica Biotech, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Mehmet Toner
- Department of Surgery, Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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20
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Fair is fair: We must re-allocate livers for transplant. BMC Med Ethics 2017; 18:26. [PMID: 28381305 PMCID: PMC5382421 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-017-0186-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The 11 original regions for organ allocation in the United States were determined by proximity between hospitals that provided deceased donors and transplant programs. As liver transplants became more successful and demand rose, livers became a scarce resource. A national system has been implemented to prioritize liver allocation according to disease severity, but the system still operates within the original procurement regions, some of which have significantly more deceased donor livers. Although each region prioritizes its sickest patients to be liver transplant recipients, the sickest in less liver-scarce regions get transplants much sooner and are at far lower risk of death than the sickest in more liver-scarce regions. This has resulted in drastic and inequitable regional variation in preventable liver disease related death rate.A new region districting proposal - an eight district model - has been carefully designed to reduce geographic inequities, but is being fought by many transplant centers that face less scarcity under the current model. The arguments put forth against the new proposal, couched in terms of fairness and safety, will be examined to show that the new system is technologically feasible, will save more lives, and will not worsen socioeconomic disparity. While the new model is likely not perfect, it is a necessary step toward fair allocation.
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21
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Tumin D, Hayes D, Washburn WK, Tobias JD, Black SM. Medicaid enrollment after liver transplantation: Effects of medicaid expansion. Liver Transpl 2016; 22:1075-84. [PMID: 27152888 DOI: 10.1002/lt.24480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 04/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) recipients in the United States have low rates of paid employment, making some eligible for Medicaid public health insurance after transplant. We test whether recent expansions of Medicaid eligibility increased Medicaid enrollment and insurance coverage in this population. Patients of ages 18-59 years receiving first-time LTs in 2009-2013 were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry and stratified according to insurance at transplantation (private versus Medicaid/Medicare). Posttransplant insurance status was assessed through June 2015. Difference-in-difference multivariate competing-risks models stratified on state of residence estimated effects of Medicaid expansion on Medicaid enrollment or use of uninsured care after LT. Of 12,837 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 6554 (51%) lived in a state that expanded Medicaid eligibility. Medicaid participation after LT was more common in Medicaid-expansion states (25%) compared to nonexpansion states (19%; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis of 7279 patients with private insurance at transplantation demonstrated that after the effective date of Medicaid expansion (January 1, 2014), the hazard of posttransplant Medicaid enrollment increased in states participating in Medicaid expansion (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-2.0; P = 0.01), but not in states opting out of Medicaid expansion (HR = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.5-1.3; P = 0.37), controlling for individual characteristics and time-invariant state-level factors. No effects of Medicaid expansion on the use of posttransplant uninsured care were found, regardless of private or government insurance status at transplantation. Medicaid expansion increased posttransplant Medicaid enrollment among patients who had private insurance at transplantation, but it did not improve overall access to health insurance among LT recipients. Liver Transplantation 22 1075-1084 2016 AASLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Tumin
- Department of Pediatrics, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Department of Comprehensive Transplant Center, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Center for Epidemiology of Organ Failure and Transplantation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Don Hayes
- Department of Pediatrics, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Department of Internal Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Center for Epidemiology of Organ Failure and Transplantation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.,Section of Pulmonary Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - W Kenneth Washburn
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Department of Comprehensive Transplant Center, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Center for Epidemiology of Organ Failure and Transplantation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.,Division of Transplantation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Joseph D Tobias
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Center for Epidemiology of Organ Failure and Transplantation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
| | - Sylvester M Black
- Department of Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Department of Comprehensive Transplant Center, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.,Center for Epidemiology of Organ Failure and Transplantation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH
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22
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Hartsock JA, Ivy SS, Helft PR. Liver Allocation to Non-U.S. Citizen Non-U.S. Residents: An Ethical Framework for a Last-in-Line Approach. Am J Transplant 2016; 16:1681-7. [PMID: 26693843 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.13674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The incidence of non-U.S. citizen non-U.S. resident patients coming to the United States specifically for deceased donor liver transplantation raises compelling ethical questions that require careful consideration. The inclusion of these often financially and/or socially privileged patients in the pool of potential candidates for an absolutely scarce and life-saving liver transplant may exacerbate disparities already existing in deceased donor liver allocation. In addition, their inclusion on organ transplant waiting lists conflicts with recognized ethical principles of justice and reciprocity. Moreover, preliminary data suggest that public awareness of this practice could discourage organ donation, thereby worsening an already profound supply-demand gulf. Finally, U.S. organ allocation policies and statutes are out of step with recently promulgated international transplant guidelines, which prioritize self-sufficiency of organ programs. This article analyzes each of these ethical conflicts within the context of deceased donor liver transplantation and recommends policy changes that align the United States with international practices that discourage this scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Hartsock
- Indiana University School of Liberal Arts, Indianapolis, IN.,Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN.,Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, Indianapolis, IN
| | - S S Ivy
- Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN.,Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, Indianapolis, IN
| | - P R Helft
- Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN.,Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics, Indianapolis, IN.,Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN.,Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
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23
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Decade-Long Trends in Liver Transplant Waitlist Removal Due to Illness Severity: The Impact of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Policy. J Am Coll Surg 2016; 222:1054-65. [PMID: 27178368 DOI: 10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2016.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Revised: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The central tenet of liver transplant organ allocation is to prioritize the sickest patients first. However, a 2007 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulatory policy, Conditions of Participation (COP), which mandates publically reported transplant center performance assessment and outcomes-based auditing, critically altered waitlist management and clinical decision making. We examine the extent to which COP implementation is associated with increased removal of the "sickest" patients from the liver transplant waitlist. STUDY DESIGN This study included 90,765 adult (aged 18 years and older) deceased donor liver transplant candidates listed at 102 transplant centers from April 2002 through December 2012 (Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients). We quantified the effect of COP implementation on trends in waitlist removal due to illness severity and 1-year post-transplant mortality using interrupted time series segmented Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS We observed increasing trends in delisting due to illness severity in the setting of comparable demographic and clinical characteristics. Delisting abruptly increased by 16% at the time of COP implementation, and likelihood of being delisted continued to increase by 3% per quarter thereafter, without attenuation (p < 0.001). Results remained consistent after stratifying on key variables (ie, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and age). The COP did not significantly impact 1-year post-transplant mortality (p = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS Although the 2007 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services COP policy was a quality initiative designed to improve patient outcomes, in reality, it failed to show beneficial effects in the liver transplant population. Patients who could potentially benefit from transplantation are increasingly being denied this lifesaving procedure while transplant mortality rates remain unaffected. Policy makers and clinicians should strive to balance candidate and recipient needs from a population-benefit perspective when designing performance metrics and during clinical decision making for patients on the waitlist.
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Givens RC, Dardas T, Clerkin KJ, Restaino S, Schulze PC, Mancini DM. Outcomes of Multiple Listing for Adult Heart Transplantation in the United States: Analysis of OPTN Data From 2000 to 2013. JACC-HEART FAILURE 2015; 3:933-41. [PMID: 26577617 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchf.2015.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Revised: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study sought to assess the association of multiple listing with waitlist outcomes and post-heart transplant (HT) survival. BACKGROUND HT candidates in the United States may register at multiple centers. Not all candidates have the resources and mobility needed for multiple listing; thus this policy may advantage wealthier and less sick patients. METHODS We identified 33,928 adult candidates for a first single-organ HT between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2013 in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database. RESULTS We identified 679 multiple-listed (ML) candidates (2.0%) who were younger (median age, 53 years [interquartile range (IQR): 43 to 60 years] vs. 55 years [IQR: 45 to 61 years]; p < 0.0001), more often white (76.4% vs. 70.7%; p = 0.0010) and privately insured (65.5% vs. 56.3%; p < 0.0001), and lived in zip codes with higher median incomes (US$90,153 [IQR: US$25,471 to US$253,831] vs. US$68,986 [IQR: US$19,471 to US$219,702]; p = 0.0015). Likelihood of ML increased with the primary center's median waiting time. ML candidates had lower initial priority (39.0% 1A or 1B vs. 55.1%; p < 0.0001) and predicted 90-day waitlist mortality (2.9% [IQR: 2.3% to 4.7%] vs. 3.6% [IQR: 2.3% to 6.0]%; p < 0.0001), but were frequently upgraded at secondary centers (58.2% 1A/1B; p < 0.0001 vs. ML primary listing). ML candidates had a higher HT rate (74.4% vs. 70.2%; p = 0.0196) and lower waitlist mortality (8.1% vs. 12.2%; p = 0.0011). Compared with a propensity-matched cohort, the relative ML HT rate was 3.02 (95% confidence interval: 2.59 to 3.52; p < 0.0001). There were no post-HT survival differences. CONCLUSIONS Multiple listing is a rational response to organ shortage but may advantage patients with the means to participate rather than the most medically needy. The multiple-listing policy should be overturned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond C Givens
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York.
| | - Todd Dardas
- Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Kevin J Clerkin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Susan Restaino
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - P Christian Schulze
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Donna M Mancini
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To review and highlight recent literature regarding the medical management of adult patients undergoing liver transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS The addition of serum sodium concentration to the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score more accurately predicts 90-day waitlist mortality. Predictors of waitlist mortality and posttransplant survival include lower albumin and the presence of ascites, varices, and encephalopathy, as well as more nontraditional predictors such as older age, obesity, frailty, and sarcopenia. Indications for liver transplantation are evolving with the advent of effective therapy for hepatitis C and the increased prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Disparities persist in the current allocation system, including geographic variation and MELD inflation for hepatocellular carcinoma. Share 35 allows for broader regional sharing of organs for patients with the highest need, without detrimental effects on waitlist mortality or survival. Everolimus is a recently approved option for posttransplant immunosuppression that spares renal function. SUMMARY The MELD score has enabled the liver transplant community to equitably allocate organs. Recent literature has focused on the limitations of the MELD score and the disparities inherent in the current system. The next steps for liver transplantation will be to develop strategies to further optimize waitlist prioritization and organ allocation.
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