Outcomes Analyses of Pediatric Acute Liver Failure Subjects Listed for Liver Transplantation

Background: We characterized recent outcomes in US pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) subjects listed for liver transplantation (LT) using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database. Methods: Pediatric subjects listed for LT from 2002 to 2015 were assigned to the PALF group based on status 1/1A listing, INR >2, no hepatic artery thrombosis, and no primary graft nonfunction (N = 397). Subjects were assigned to the non-PALF group if listed with any status other than 1/1A (N = 4509). Results: The PALF group had more infants <3 months of age and males at listing for LT compared to the non-PALF group. Two-thirds of PALF subjects had an indeterminate etiology. LT waitlist survival was significantly worse in the PALF group compared to the non-PALF group. Likelihood of removal from the LT waitlist for being too sick was higher, while that of removal for spontaneous recovery was lower in PALF subjects. Post-LT short-term (30 days) and long-term (60 months) outcomes were also significantly worse in PALF versus non-PALF subjects. PALF subjects who underwent living-donor-liver-transplant (LDLT) had similar LT waitlist times and post-LT survival compared to those undergoing deceased-donor-liver-transplant (DDLT). Over the study period, we observed a decreased number of liver transplants, and increase in LT waitlist- and short-term post-LT-survival in PALF subjects. Conclusion: LT waitlist and post-LT outcomes are worse in PALF subjects compared to non-PALF subjects. PALF subjects who undergo LDLT have similar waitlist times and post-LT outcomes compared to those undergoing DDLT.

Automated summary

This study characterized recent outcomes in US pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) subjects listed for liver transplantation (LT) and found that PALF subjects had worse LT waitlist and post-LT outcomes compared to non-PALF subjects.