The impact of donor cocaine use on the outcome of adult liver transplantation.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the feasibility of adult liver transplantation from donors with cocaine use.


METHODS
Of 807 adult liver transplantations performed between 1994 and 2000, 72 donors (8.9%) were current cocaine users. Donor characteristics and post-transplantation outcomes were retrospectively compared between the 72 cocaine and 126 control group selected from the remaining 735 donors, matched for age and having no history of drug use.


RESULTS
Marijuana, opiates and amphetamines were drugs of abuse often present with cocaine. Except for a high incidence of acute alcohol use in the cocaine donors, donor characteristics were comparable. The cocaine group had a significantly higher graft loss within three months of transplant (18.1% vs. 7.9%, p < 0.05), and had a trend toward lower graft survival (76% vs. 86% at one yr).


CONCLUSIONS
Potential adverse effect of cocaine and substances concurrently involved on donor liver was suggested. To clarify the distinct acceptance criteria of cocaine users for liver donation, prospective study is warranted.
Komokata
Teruo
T
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Japan. komokata@m3.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
Nishida
Seigo
S
Ganz
Susan
S
Levi
David M
DM
Fukumori
Tatuya
T
Tzakis
Andreas G
AG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003042:Cocaine