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.
Gonwa
T A
TA
Transplantation Services, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Tex 75246.
Morris
C A
CA
Mai
M L
ML
Husberg
B S
BS
Goldstein
R M
RM
Klintmalm
G B
GB
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