Impact of the hepatopulmonary syndrome MELD exception policy on outcomes of patients after liver transplantation: an analysis of the UNOS database.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Patients with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) are prioritized for liver transplantation (given exception points) due to their high pre- and post-transplantation mortality. However, few studies have evaluated the outcomes of these patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study using data submitted to the United Network for Organ Sharing in a study of the effects of room-air oxygenation on pre- and post-transplantation outcomes of patients with HPS. We identified thresholds associated with post-transplantation survival using cubic spline analysis and compared overall survival times of patients with and without HPS.

Results

From 2002 through 2012, nine hundred and seventy-three patients on the liver transplant waitlist received HPS exception

SUBMITTER: Goldberg DS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3992191 | biostudies-literature | 2014 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature