HCV-Positive Donors Are Healthier and Inequitably Utilized in the United States

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2020

Publication Title

American Journal of Transplantation

Abstract

Purpose: Increased utilization of HCV-positive (HCV+) liver allografts has been endorsed as a solution to the national organ shortage. Due to the opioid epidemic, there has been an increase in availability of HCV+ organs. We evaluated characteristics of HCV+ donors and UNOS regional differences in the utilization of HCV+ liver allografts. Methods: The SRTR (Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients) database was queried for all HCV antibody (HCV Ab) and HCV nucleic acid amplification testing (HCV NAT) positive and negative donors from June 2015 to December 2018. Donor data including demographics, clinical and laboratory, allograft characteristics, as well as regions of transplant were collected and compared between HCV+ and HCV- donors. Results: A total of 24,500 donors were utilized for deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) of whom 1,887 (7.7%) were HCVAb+ and 1,280 (5.2%) were HCVNAT+. 64.4% of HCVAb+ donors were HCVNAT+. HCVAb+ donors were significantly younger, median age 35 (IQR 29, 46) vs. 40 (IQR 27, 54) years (p

Volume

20

Issue

S3

First Page

505

Last Page

506

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS