Recipient-Specific Risk Factors Impairing Patient and Graft Outcome after Pediatric Liver Transplantation—Analysis of 858 Transplantations in 38 Years
Christoph Leiskau,
Norman Junge,
Eva-Doreen Pfister,
Imeke Goldschmidt,
Frauke Mutschler,
Tobias Laue,
Johanna Ohlendorf,
Hamoud Nasser,
Jan Beneke,
Nicolas Richter,
Florian Vondran,
Ulrich Baumann
Affiliations
Christoph Leiskau
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Norman Junge
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Eva-Doreen Pfister
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Imeke Goldschmidt
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Frauke Mutschler
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Tobias Laue
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Johanna Ohlendorf
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Hamoud Nasser
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Jan Beneke
Core Facility Quality Management and Health Technology Assessment in Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Nicolas Richter
Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Florian Vondran
Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
Ulrich Baumann
Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Department of Pediatric Kidney, Liver and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
(1) Background and Aim: Despite excellent long-term results in pediatric liver transplantation (pLTx), mortality and graft loss still are to be diminished. We aim to describe time-dependent changes and long-term outcome of a large single-center pLTx cohort and to identify independent recipient-related risk factors impairing patient and graft survival. (2) Methods: This is a retrospective single-center study analyzing all pediatric liver transplants from 1983–2020. Risk factors for mortality and graft loss were identified by univariable and multi-linear regression analysis. (3) Results: We analyzed 858 liver transplantations in 705 pediatric patients. Five-year patient/graft survival increased from 60.9%/48.0% (1983–1992) to 97.5%/86.5% (OR = 12.5; p p p p = 0.0114/0.002) impairs patient/graft survival significantly in the multivariate analysis. Furthermore, patient survival is worsened by re-transplantation (log = 1.755; HR = 1.744; p = 0.0176) and prolonged waiting times in high-urgency status (log = 2.588; HR = 1.073; p = 0.0026), whereas the indication of biliary atresia improved outcome (log = 1.502; HR = 0.575; p = 0.0315). Graft survival was additionally impaired by pre-existing portal vein thrombosis (log = 1.482; HR = 2.016; p = 0.0330). (4) Conclusions: Despite more complex indications, patient and graft survival after pLTx continue to improve.. Acute liver failure remains the indication with poorest outcome, and listing for high urgency liver transplantation should be considered carefully and early to keep waiting time on HU list short. Furthermore, pre-transplant portal vein thrombosis should be prevented whenever possible to improve graft survival.