Indian Journal of Transplantation (Jan 2020)

Survival after liver transplant in recipients older than 70 years: A systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Karn Wijarnpreecha,
  • Panadeekarn Panjawatanan,
  • Omar Y Mousa,
  • Wisit Cheungpasitporn,
  • Frank J Lukens,
  • Justin H Nguyen,
  • Surakit Pungpapong,
  • Denise M Harnois,
  • Patompong Ungprasert

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/ijot.ijot_59_19
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
pp. 63 – 67

Abstract

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Background/Objectives: More elderly patients with end-stage liver disease are receiving liver transplantation. However, data on outcome of recipients older than 70 years are still limited. The current systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted with the aim to better describe the survival outcome of liver transplant in recipients older than 70 years compared to younger recipients. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted utilizing the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases through March 2019 to identify all cohort studies that compared the long-term survival outcome between patients who underwent liver transplantation at age of >70 years versus younger recipients. Effect estimates from each study were extracted and combined together using the random-effects, generic inverse variance method of DerSimonian and Laird. Results: A total of 5 studies with 19,757 participants fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The mortality rate was significantly increased among recipients who were 70 years or older compared to younger recipients with the pooled hazard ratio of 1.72 (95% confidence interval: 1.43–2.06; I2: 16%). Conclusions: The current study demonstrated a significantly increased risk of mortality postliver transplantation among recipients older than 70 years. This could be useful information to be considered along with other factors to establish graft allocation policy.

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