Impact of a Donor Age >75 Years on the Survival of Liver Transplant Recipients

• Published in: Transplantation proceedings Vol. 54; no. 9; pp. 2525 - 2527
• Main Authors: Cuevas López, María José, Álvarez Aguilera, Miriam, Cepeda Franco, Carmen, Suárez Artacho, Gonzalo, Marín Gómez, Luis Miguel, Bernal Bellido, Carmen, Álamo Martínez, José María, Padillo Ruiz, Francisco Javier, Gómez Bravo, Miguel Ángel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.2022
• ISSN: 0041-1345; 1873-2623
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2022.10.009

•There were no differences in complication or mortality rates between the group of recipients of elderly donors and the group of recipients of younger donors.•Only vascular complications were slightly more frequent in the elderly donor group, but the differences were not statistically significant.•The use of elderly liver donors (older than 75 years) is safe, with good outcomes in terms of mid- and long-term survival, reaching 81%, 75%, and 67% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. An organ shortage is the reason why it is necessary to expand the pool of donors, which can be achieved by using elderly donors. The main goal of this study is to analyze the outcomes of liver transplant (LT) when it is performed with donors older than 75 years. We carried out a retrospective case-control study (N = 212) that included LTs with donors older than 75 years (group A, n = 106 cases) that were performed in our center between the years 2010 and 2020. This cohort has been paired off with a similar control group (group B, n = 106) whose donors were significantly younger. A survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier model was performed. Average (SD) age of donors in group A was statistically greater than group B (A, 79.1 [3.0] years vs B, 54.4 [15.3], P < .001). There were no differences either in the average age of the recipients or in the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score of both groups. Indications for LT were distributed equally in both groups: the most common was cellular hepatocarcinoma followed by alcohol-related cirrhosis. Survival rates for group A were 81%, 78%, and 67%, in 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively, while in group B they were 85%, 76%, and 71%, respectively, without differences found between the groups (P = .57). Using elderly liver donors is safe, achieving good outcomes in terms of short- and midterm rates of survival.