Influence of donor age on survival in liver transplantation due to hepatitis C virus

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Published on: November 7, 2020

L Tallón Aguilar1, D Molina García, L Barrera Pulido

  • 1Liver Transplant and Hepatobiliopancreatic Surgery Unit, Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain. Itallona@hotmail.com

Transplantation Proceedings
|November 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Older organ donors negatively impact liver transplant outcomes for hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients. Younger donor age (<60 years) is associated with better patient and graft survival rates post-transplant.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Transplantation immunology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and a frequent indication for liver transplantation.
  • Increasing donor age is a growing concern, potentially impacting post-transplant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of donor age on patient and graft survival after liver transplantation for HCV-related cirrhosis.
  • To analyze graft recurrence and progression of liver disease based on donor age.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 93 liver transplantations for HCV between 2000-2005.
  • Patients divided into two groups based on donor age: <60 years (Group A) and ≥60 years (Group B).
  • Assessment of recipient and graft survival, and graft histological recurrence using Knodell index, with a mean follow-up of 34 months.

Main Results:

  • Recipient survival was 61% in Group A versus 57% in Group B, with a more pronounced difference when excluding early post-transplant complications.
  • Graft survival showed higher rates of histological recurrence (55.7% vs. 65.6%), fibrosis (16.7% vs. 25%), and cirrhosis (21% vs. 18.7%) in Group A compared to Group B.
  • Progression of liver disease and survival rates declined with increasing donor age.

Conclusions:

  • Donor age is a significant factor influencing outcomes in liver transplantation for HCV.
  • Younger donors (<60 years) are associated with improved patient and graft survival and slower disease progression compared to older donors (≥60 years).
  • The findings underscore the importance of donor age in optimizing liver transplant success for HCV patients.

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