Higher thresholds for the utilization of steatotic allografts in liver transplantation: Analysis from a U.S. national database

BackgroundHistorically, liver allografts with >30% macrosteatosis (MaS) on donor biopsy have been associated with early allograft dysfunction and worse graft survival; however, successful outcomes have been reported in small cohorts. This study proposes an elevated MaS threshold for organ utilization without detriment to graft survival.MethodsThe UNOS Standard Transplant Analysis and Research database was evaluated for transplants between 2006-2015. Graft survival up to 1-year was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analyses, and by univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses, including donor and recipient characteristics. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for risk of graft loss are reported.ResultsThirty-day risk of graft loss was increased with MaS as low as 10-19% (OR [95% CI] 1.301 [1.055-1.605], pConclusionsIn conjunction with recipient selection, organs with MaS up to 50% may be safely used without detriment to outcomes.