ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the outcome of patients on the liver transplantation (LT) waitlist in 2020 in France, in particular, the incidence of deaths and delisting for worsening condition, depending on the allocation score component. The 2020 cohort of patients on the waiting list was compared with the 2018/2019 cohorts. 2020 saw fewer LTs than in either 2019 or 2018 (1128, 1356, and 1325, respectively), together with fewer actual brain dead donors (1355, 1729, and 1743). In 2020, deaths or delisting for worsening condition increased significantly versus 2018/2019 (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-1.7), after adjustment for age, place of care, diabetes, blood type, and score component, although COVID-19-related mortality was low. This increased risk mainly concerned patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (1.52, 95% CI 1.22-1.90), with 650 MELD exception points (2.19, 95% CI 1.08-4.43), and especially those without HCC and MELD scores from 25 to 30 (3.36 [95% CI 1.82-6.18]). In conclusion, by significantly decreasing LT activity in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of waitlist deaths and delisting for worsening condition, and significantly more for particular components of the score, including intermediate severity cirrhosis.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , End Stage Liver Disease , Liver Neoplasms , Liver Transplantation , Humans , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/epidemiology , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/surgery , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/etiology , Liver Transplantation/adverse effects , Liver Neoplasms/epidemiology , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Liver Neoplasms/etiology , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/etiology , Severity of Illness IndexABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Preliminary data suggest that COVID-19 has reduced access to solid organ transplantation. However, the global consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on transplantation rates and the effect on waitlisted patients have not been reported. We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on transplantation and investigate if the pandemic was associated with heterogeneous adaptation in terms of organ transplantation, with ensuing consequences for waitlisted patients. METHODS: In this population-based, observational, before-and-after study, we collected and validated nationwide cohorts of consecutive kidney, liver, lung, and heart transplants from 22 countries. Data were collected from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2020, along with data from the same period in 2019. The analysis was done from the onset of the 100th cumulative COVID-19 case through to Dec 31, 2020. We assessed the effect of the pandemic on the worldwide organ transplantation rate and the disparity in transplant numbers within each country. We estimated the number of waitlisted patient life-years lost due to the negative effects of the pandemic. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04416256. FINDINGS: Transplant activity in all countries studied showed an overall decrease during the pandemic. Kidney transplantation was the most affected, followed by lung, liver, and heart. We identified three organ transplant rate patterns, as follows: countries with a sharp decrease in transplantation rate with a low COVID-19-related death rate; countries with a moderate decrease in transplantation rate with a moderate COVID-19-related death rate; and countries with a slight decrease in transplantation rate despite a high COVID-19-related death rate. Temporal trends revealed a marked worldwide reduction in transplant activity during the first 3 months of the pandemic, with losses stabilising after June, 2020, but decreasing again from October to December, 2020. The overall reduction in transplants during the observation time period translated to 48 239 waitlisted patient life-years lost. INTERPRETATION: We quantified the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on worldwide organ transplantation activity and revealed heterogeneous adaptation in terms of organ transplantation, both at national levels and within countries, with detrimental consequences for waitlisted patients. Understanding how different countries and health-care systems responded to COVID-19-related challenges could facilitate improved pandemic preparedness, notably, how to safely maintain transplant programmes, both with immediate and non-immediate life-saving potential, to prevent loss of patient life-years. FUNDING: French national research agency (INSERM) ATIP Avenir and Fondation Bettencourt Schueller.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Global Health/statistics & numerical data , Organ Transplantation/statistics & numerical data , Pandemics , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has potentially affected liver transplantation (LT) programs worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine whether the COVID-19 outbreak affected organ donation and LT activity in France. METHODS: Data on the number of brain-dead donor procurements and adult liver transplantations were compared between two periods (1st January- 31st May 2019 vs. 1st January-31st May 2020). MAIN FINDINGS: There was a 28% decrease in the number of organ donations in 2020 (543 in 2020vs. 752 organ donations in 2019). A 22% decrease in the number of liver transplantations was also observed: 435 in 2020 vs. 556 LTs in 2019. Overall, the North East area which was the main COVID-19 cluster area, had > 25% decrease of the multiorgan procurement (-33% compared to 2019), and liver transplantation (-26% compared to 2019) activities in 2020 CONCLUSION: This analysis confirmed that during the COVID-19 outbreak there was a significant decrease in the number of organ donations and liver transplantations performed in France.