Race and liver transplantation.
Little is known about the effect of race on the outcome of liver transplantation. We retrospectively reviewed a series of 358 recipients of orthotopic liver transplants to address this issue. Black recipients were underrepresented compared with the general population (6% of transplant recipients vs 12% of the population). Black recipients appeared sicker when presenting for transplantation, as evidenced by a higher priority score and a significantly greater incidence of acute and fulminant presentation. Despite this, black recipients had survival rates following transplantation that were not significantly different from those of white recipients; the 1-, 2-, and 3-year actuarial survival rates of blacks were 89.6%, 68.3%, and 68.3%, respectively, while the actuarial survival rates of whites at the same periods were 86%, 82.4%, and 78.6%, respectively. We conclude that blacks can have an outcome equal to whites following liver transplantation but they are underrepresented compared with the general population.
Transplantation Services, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Tex 75246.
T A
TA
Gonwa
C A
CA
Morris
M L
ML
Mai
B S
BS
Husberg
R M
RM
Goldstein
G B
GB
Klintmalm
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006085:Graft Survival; D006530:Hepatorenal Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000601:surgery; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D044465:White People; D001741:Black or African American