Influence of donor and recipient gender on the outcome of liver transplantation

Impact of donor sex on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence in liver transplantation after brain death

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is predominantly seen in males but has a better prognosis in females. No prior studies have investigated HCC recurrence based on sex combination following liver transplant donated after brain death (DBDLT). This study sought to elucidate the effects of donor and recipient sex on HCC recurrence rates.

METHODS

9232 adult recipients from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database who underwent DBDLT for HCC from 2012 to 2018 were included. Donor-recipient pairs were divided into (1) female donor/female recipient (F-F) (n = 1089); (2) male donor/female recipient (M-F) (n = 975); (3) female donor/male recipient (F-M) (n = 2691); (4) male donor/male recipient (M-M) (n = 4477). The primary prognostic outcome was HCC recurrence. A multivariable competing risk regression analysis was used to assess prognostic influences.

RESULTS

The median recipient age and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores were similar among the four groups. Livers of male recipients demonstrated greater in size and number of HCC (both p-values were <.0001). There was also a higher rate of vascular invasion in male recipients compared to female (p < .0001). Competing risk analyses showed that the cumulative HCC recurrence rate was significantly lower in the M-F group (p = .013). After adjusting for tumor characteristics, liver grafts from male donors were associated with a lower HCC recurrence rate in female recipients (HR: .62 95%CI: .42-.93) (p = .021).

CONCLUSION

In DBDLT, male donor to female recipient pairing exhibited lower HCC recurrence rates.

SUMMARY

Lowest rates of HCC recurrence were confirmed among the female recipients of male donor grafts group in the deceased donor LT cohort. A competing risk multivariable regression analysis demonstrated that male donor sex was significantly associated with low HCC recurrence in female but not male recipients.

Risk Factors for Development of Biliary Stricture After Liver Transplant in Adult Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Identification of risk factors for biliary stricture after liver transplant and its potential prevention is crucial to improve the outcomes and reduce the complications. We retrospectively analyzed donor and recipient characteristics with intraoperative and postoperative parameters to identify the risk factors for development of post-transplant anastomotic and nonanastomotic biliary strictures with additional analysis of the time onset of those strictures. A total of 412 patients were included in this study. Mean (SD) follow-up time was 79 (35) months (range, 1-152 months). Biliary stricture was diagnosed in 84 patients (20.4%). Multivariate analysis indicated that postoperative biliary leakage (odd ratio [OR], 3.94; P = .001), acute cellular rejection (OR, 3.05; P < .001), donor age older than 47.5 years (OR, 2.05; P = .032), preoperative recipient platelet value < 77.5 × 10³/mL (OR, 1.91; P = .023), University of Wisconsin solution (OR, 1.73; P = .041)), recipient male sex (OR, 1.78; P = .072), portal/arterial flow ratio > 4 (OR, 1.76; P = .083), and intraoperative bleeding > 2850 mL (OR, 1.70; P = .053) were independent risk factors for biliary stricture regardless of the time of their appearance. Multiple risk factors for biliary stricture were determined in this study. Some of these risk factors are preventable, and implementation of strategies to eliminate some of those factors should reduce the development of post-transplant biliary stricture.

Donor-to-recipient gender match in liver transplantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on donor-to-recipient gender mismatch as a risk factor for post-transplant graft loss.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Library database and EMBASE. The primary outcome was graft loss after liver transplantation. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare the pooled data between groups with different donor-to-recipient gender matches. Three analyses were done considering (1) gender mismatches (F-M and M-F) vs matches (M-M and F-F); (2) Female-to-Male mismatch vs other matches; and (3) Male-to-Female mismatch vs other matches.

RESULTS

A total of 7 articles were analysed. Gender mismatch (M-F and F-M) was associated with a significant increase of graft loss respect to match (M-M and F-F) (OR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.13-1.50; P < 0.001). When F-M mismatch was specifically investigated, it confirmed its detrimental role in terms of graft survival (OR: 1.83; 95%CI: 1.20-2.80; P = 0.005). M-F mismatch failed to present a significant role (OR: 1.09; 95%CI: 0.73-1.62; P = 0.68).

CONCLUSION

Gender mismatch is a risk factor for poor graft survival after liver transplantation. Female-to-male mismatch represents the worst combination. More studies are needed with the intent to better clarify the reasons for these results.

Factors during Donor Care That May Affect Liver Transplantation Outcome

Publications are reviewed that identify factors during donor care and characteristics of the donor liver that may be associated with outcome following liver transplantation. The procurement coordinator has the opportunity to influence cold ischemia time, blood pressure, the serum sodium concentration and, perhaps, liver glycogen reserves. These variables may significantly affect postimplantation graft performance and graft or recipient survival. Summaries of those publications comprising this database are presented, and several limitations in their interpretation are discussed.

Balancing donor and recipient risk factors in liver transplantation: the value of D-MELD with particular reference to HCV recipients

Donor-recipient match is a matter of debate in liver transplantation. D-MELD (donor age × recipient biochemical model for end-stage liver disease [MELD]) and other factors were analyzed on a national Italian database recording 5946 liver transplants. Primary endpoint was to determine factors predictive of 3-year patient survival. D-MELD cutoff predictive of 5-year patient survival <50% (5yrsPS<50%) was investigated. A prognosis calculator was implemented (http://www.D-MELD.com). Differences among D-MELD deciles allowed their regrouping into three D-MELD classes (A < 338, B 338-1628, C >1628). At 3 years, the odds ratio (OR) for death was 2.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-2.85) in D-MELD class C versus B. The OR was 0.40 (95% CI, 0.24-0.66) in class A versus class B. Other predictors were hepatitis C virus (HCV; OR = 1.42; 95% CI, 1.11-1.81), hepatitis B virus (HBV; OR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.51-0.93), retransplant (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.16-2.87) and low-volume center (OR = 1.48; 95% CI, 1.11-1.99). Cox regressions up to 90 months confirmed results. The hazard ratio was 1.97 (95% CI, 1.59-2.43) for D-MELD class C versus class B and 0.42 (95% CI, 0.29-0.60) for D-MELD class A versus class B. Recipient age, HCV, HBV and retransplant were also significant. The 5yrsPS<50% cutoff was identified only in HCV patients (D-MELD ≥ 1750). The innovative approach offered by D-MELD and covariates is helpful in predicting outcome after liver transplantation, especially in HCV recipients.

A methodological framework for optimally reorganizing liver transplant regions

BACKGROUND

The United States is divided currently into 11 transplant regions, which vary in area and number of organ procurement organizations (OPOs). Region size affects organ travel time and organ viability at transplant.

PURPOSE

To develop a methodologic framework for determining optimal configurations of regions maximizing transplant allocation efficiency and geographic parity.

METHODS

An integer program was designed to maximize a weighted combination of 2 objectives: 1) intraregional transplants, 2) geographic parity-maximizing the lowest intraregional transplant rate across all OPOs. Two classes of functions relating liver travel time to liver viability were also examined as part of the sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Preliminary results indicate that reorganizing regions, while constraining their number to 11, resulted in up to 17 additional transplants/year depending on the travel-viability function; when not constrained, it resulted in up to 18/year of increase.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis indicates that liver transplantation may benefit through region reorganization. The analytic method developed here should be applicable to other organs and sets of organs.

Lower liver transplant success in females: gender differences in metabolic response to global ischemia

BACKGROUND

Research has shown that gender plays a significant role in the metabolic processes of different organs and that transplanting livers of females into male or female recipients has significantly higher failure rates. To understand why, this study examined whether gender differences exist in various metabolic responses of livers to ischemia.

METHODS

The following metabolic liver parameters in Sprague-Dawley rats (male, n = 14; and female, n = 18) were examined; adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and lactate expressed as micromoles/g dry weight, and hydrogen ion content [H+] expressed as 10(-8) mol/L. In vivo liver biopsy specimens were compared with ischemic biopsy specimens at 3, 10, 15, 30, and 45 minutes (37 degrees C).

RESULTS

In vivo female ATP values (9.9 +/- 0.8) were similar to males (9.8 +/- 0.9) and both had early, rapid decline during ischemia reaching 20% of baseline by 10 minutes of ischemia. In contrast, male liver lactate accumulation peaked by 3 minutes and at much lower levels (35 +/- 13), whereas female liver lactate peaked by 10 minutes at 71 +/- 11. For the rest of the ischemic period, female livers exhibited significantly (P < .05) greater lactate accumulation. Female liver H+ levels also increased to higher levels (55 +/- 10) than the male livers (37 +/- 7) and this pattern was significantly (P < .05) different from 10 minutes onward.

CONCLUSIONS

Although livers of females ultimately have similar ATP profiles to livers of males, they experienced more rapid and greater degree of tissue lactate and H+ accumulation during ischemia. Therefore, female livers have increased acidosis during ischemia, which could adversely affect transplant outcome.

Factors during donor care that may affect liver transplantation outcome

Publications are reviewed that identify factors during donor care and characteristics of the donor liver that may be associated with outcome following liver transplantation. The procurement coordinator has the opportunity to influence cold ischemia time, blood pressure, the serum sodium concentration and, perhaps, liver glycogen reserves. These variables may significantly affect postimplantation graft performance and graft or recipient survival. Summaries of those publications comprising this database are presented, and several limitations in their interpretation are discussed.

Influence of high donor serum sodium levels on early postoperative graft function in human liver transplantation: effect of correction of donor hypernatremia

Donor hypernatremia was reported to cause postoperative graft dysfunction in human orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, the effects of the correction of donor hypernatremia before organ procurement have not been confirmed. The aim of this study is to determine whether donor hypernatremia is associated with early graft dysfunction after OLT and to determine the effect of the correction of donor hypernatremia. One hundred eighty-one consecutive OLTs performed between May 1997 and July 1998 were entered onto this study. The cases were divided into three groups according to the donor serum sodium concentration: group A, serum sodium of 155 mEq/L or less before organ procurement (n = 118); group B, peak sodium greater than 155 mEq/L and final sodium 155 mEq/L or less (n = 36); and group C, final sodium greater than 155 mEq/L (n = 27). Graft survival within 90 days after OLT and early postoperative graft function were analyzed. There were no significant differences in donor and recipient variables among the three groups. The frequencies of graft loss were 15 of 118 grafts (12.7%) in group A, 4 of 36 grafts (11.1%) in group B, and 9 of 27 grafts (33.3%; P <.05 v groups A and B) in group C. The liver enzyme values in groups B and C were significantly greater than those in group A postoperatively. The prothrombin times of group C were significantly longer than those of group A for the first 4 postoperative days. Recipients of hepatic allografts from donors with uncorrected hypernatremia had a significantly greater incidence of graft loss compared with recipients of hepatic allografts from normonatremic donors. However, the differences in graft survival were abrogated by the correction of donor hypernatremia before procurement.