title: Liver transplantation from hepatitis B surface antigen-positive donors.
abstract: One possibility to increase the organ pool is to use grafts from hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive donors, but few data are currently available in this setting. Herein, we reviewed the outcome of 92 liver transplantations using allografts from HBsAg-positive donors in the United States (1990-2009). They had experienced HBV-related (n = 68) or HBV-unrelated disease (n = 24). There was no difference between patients who received HBsAg-positive versus HBsAg-negative allografts based on age, Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, length of stay, wait time, and donor risk index. HBsAg-positive allografts were more likely to be imported and used in MELD exceptional cases. Allograft and patient survival were comparable between the two groups. HBsAg-positive allografts deserve consideration when no other organ is available in a suitable waiting time in the present era of highly effective antiviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Organ Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA. Reza.Saidi@umassmemorial.org
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Saidi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jabbour
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozorgzadeh
mesh_terms: D016208:Databases, Factual; D046148:Donor Selection; D058625:End Stage Liver Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000628:therapy*; D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D006510:Hepatitis B Antibodies; D006514:Hepatitis B Surface Antigens