Inferior Liver Transplant Outcomes during early COVID-19 pandemic in United States

ABSTRACT

Background: Since its declaration as a global pandemic on March11th 2020, COVID-19 has had a significant effect on solid-organ transplantation. Aim of this study was to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on Liver transplantation (LT) in United States. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the United Network for Organ Sharing database regarding characteristics of donors, adult-LT recipients, and transplant outcomes during early-COVID period (March 11- September 11, 2020) and compared them to pre-COVID period (March 11 - September 11, 2019). Results: Overall, 4% fewer LTs were performed during early-COVID period (4107 vs 4277). Compared to pre-COVID period, transplants performed in early-COVID period were associated with increase in alcoholic liver disease as most common primary diagnosis (1315 vs 1187, P< 0.01), higher MELD score in the recipients (25 vs 23, P<0.01), lower time on wait-list (52 vs 84 days, P<0.01), higher need for hemodialysis at transplant (9.4 vs 11.1%, P=0.012), longer distance from recipient hospital (131 vs 64 miles, P<0.01) and higher donor risk index (1.65 vs 1.55, P<0.01). Early-COVID period saw increase in rejection episodes before discharge (4.6 vs 3.4%, P=0.023) and lower 90-day graft/patient survival (92.2 vs 96.5 %, P<0.01;90.2 vs 95.1 %, P<0.01). In multivariable cox-regression analysis, early-COVID period was the independent risk factor for graft failure at 90-days post-transplant (HR 1.77, P<0.01). Conclusions: During early-COVID period in United States, overall LT decreased, alcoholic liver disease was primary diagnosis for LT, rate of rejection episodes before discharge was higher and 90-days post-transplant graft survival was lower.