Abstract
The national Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) reported the major indication for liver transplants in 2018 was for other/unknown causes. This study was undertaken to examine all causes and trends in liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among adults who received liver transplants in the past 10 years. A national cohort study of all adults who received liver transplants from Jan 1, 2010 to Dec 31, 2019 recorded in the OPTN STAR database analyzed by etiology of liver disease and HCC, and gender. Adult liver transplants increased from 5,731 in 2010 to 8,345 in 2019 (45.6% increase). Between 2010 and 2014, liver disease and HCC associated with hepatitis C (HCV) was the major cause for liver transplantation. Proportion of liver transplants for HCV associated liver disease and HCC has since decreased to 18.7% in 2019 compared with 44.5% in 2010 [25.8%, (95% CI 24.3% to 27.3%), p<0.001], while liver transplants for liver disease and HCC associated with alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) increased from 12.7% to 28.8% [16.1%, (95% CI 14.8% to 17.4%), p<0.001], and from 9.1% to 21.5% [12.4%, (95% CI 11.2% to 13.5%), p<0.001], respectively. When all causes of liver disease were examined, only 1.7% of liver transplants had unspecified causes. The five major causes of liver disease and HCC among men receiving liver transplants in 2019 were ALD (33.1%), HCV (21.9%), NAFLD (18.5%), cholestatic liver disease (5.7%) and hepatitis B (4.9%), while the major causes among women were NAFLD (26.8%), ALD (21.1%), HCV (13.1%), cholestatic liver disease (11.1%), and autoimmune liver disease (5.6%). Our study found NAFLD in 2017 in women and ALD in 2019 in men have surpassed HCV as the leading causes of liver disease and HCC among adults receiving liver transplants.
Highlights
End stage liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by chronic hepatitis C have long been the leading indications for liver transplantation in adults in the U.S [1], recent studies highlighted the increasing number of people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonHCV related alcohol associated liver disease (ALD) added onto the U.S liver transplant waiting list [2,3,4,5]
Between 2010 and 2014, liver disease and HCC associated with hepatitis C (HCV) was the major cause for liver transplantation
Proportion of liver transplants for HCV associated liver disease and HCC has since decreased to 18.7% in 2019 compared with 44.5% in 2010 [25.8%, p
Summary
End stage liver disease and HCC caused by chronic hepatitis C have long been the leading indications for liver transplantation in adults in the U.S [1], recent studies highlighted the increasing number of people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonHCV related alcohol associated liver disease (ALD) added onto the U.S liver transplant waiting list [2,3,4,5]. This trend has been attributed to the introduction of curative directing acting antiviral treatment for hepatitis C, alcohol abuse, and the rising obesity epidemic in the country [6]. This study was undertaken to examine all causes and trends in liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among adults who received liver transplants in the past 10 years
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