Mela-analysis of the outcomes of liver transplantation from donation after cardiac death donors

Abstract

Objective To conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the outcomes of donation after cardiac death (DCD) compared with donation after brain death (DBD) liver transplantatior.Methods The MELDINE (1950-2011),EMBASE,and Cochrane Library databases were searched.All original single institution studies reporting outcomes of comparing donation after DCD and DBD liver transplantation were considered.A meta-analysis of complication incidence and patients/grafts survival after liver transplantation was conducted.Odds ratios (OR) and 95 ％ confidence intervals (CI) based on random effects models were calculated.Results Thirteen studies,all retrospective cohort studies,involving 5867 DCD and 619 DBD recipients,were included.DCD recipients had a 2.5 times increased odds of biliary complications (95 ％ CI =2.0～3.12),an 11.24 times increased odds of ischemic cholangiopathy (IC) (95 ％ CI =5.58 ～ 22.64 ),and a 2.12 times increased odds of primary nonfunction (PNF).DCD recipients also experienced lower odds of 1-year patient survival (OR =0.78,95 ％ CI=0.59～1.02),83.8 ％,87.2 ％,separately,and 1-year graft survival (OR=0.55,95％ CI=0.45～0.68),72.2 ％ and 82.4 ％,separately.Three-year patient survival was present in 81.5 ％ of DCD vs 78.9 ％ of DBD,which has no significant difference.The 3-year graft survival was lower inDCD than that in DBD (OR =0.73,95 ％ CI =0.56～0.94),69.5 ％ and 73.6％,separately.Conclusion DCD liver transplantation is associated with higher risks of biliary complications.But regarding the comparable general outcomes with DBD transplantation,DCD could be a source of liver. Key words: Cardiac death; Brain death; Tissue donors; Liver transplantation; Meta-analysis