Abstract
BackgroundLiver transplantation (LT) is the only curative treatment for end-stage liver disease. Less than 10% of global transplantation needs are met worldwide, and the need for LT is still increasing. The death rates on the waiting list remain too high.ObjectiveIt is, therefore, critical to raise awareness among the public and health care providers and in turn increasingly acquire donors.MethodsWe performed a Google Trends search using the search terms liver transplantation and liver transplant on October 15, 2020. On the basis of the resulting monthly data, the annual average Google Trends indices were calculated for the years 2004 to 2018. We not only investigated the trend worldwide but also used data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Spain, and Eurotransplant. Using pairwise Spearman correlations, Google Trends indices were examined over time and compared with the total number of liver transplants retrieved from the respective official websites of UNOS, the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes, and Eurotransplant.ResultsFrom 2004 to 2018, there was a significant decrease in the worldwide Google Trends index from 78.2 in 2004 to 20.5 in 2018 (–71.2%). This trend was more evident in UNOS than in the Eurotransplant group. In the same period, the number of transplanted livers increased worldwide. The waiting list mortality rate was 31% for Eurotransplant and 29% for UNOS. However, in Spain, where there are excellent awareness programs, the Google Trends index remained stable over the years with comparable, increasing LT numbers but a significantly lower waiting list mortality (15%).ConclusionsPublic awareness in LT has decreased significantly over the past two decades. Therefore, novel awareness programs should be initialized.
Highlights
BackgroundLiver transplantation (LT) remains to be the only curative therapy for patients affected by end-stage liver disease, cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma, acute fulminant hepatic failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and several metabolic disorders [1,2].Each year, approximately 12,000 LTs are performed in Europe and the United States, with numbers significantly increasing over time [3]
Several factors increase the survival of patients with LT, including better control of disease before LT, improved surgical techniques and surgeons specialized in these techniques, improved organ preservation, and advanced immunosuppressive therapy regimens [5]
We evaluated public interest in LT over time using Google Trends data and compared them with the number of transplanted livers reported from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes (ONT), and the Eurotransplant regions
Summary
BackgroundLiver transplantation (LT) remains to be the only curative therapy for patients affected by end-stage liver disease, cirrhosis with hepatocellular carcinoma, acute fulminant hepatic failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, hilar cholangiocarcinoma, and several metabolic disorders [1,2].Each year, approximately 12,000 LTs are performed in Europe and the United States, with numbers significantly increasing over time [3]. The improved success rate of LT has resulted in substantial organ shortages [4] Such shortages have led to a prolonged time for patients on the waiting list and increased waiting list mortality [6,7,8]. Using pairwise Spearman correlations, Google Trends indices were examined over time and compared with the total number of liver transplants retrieved from the respective official websites of UNOS, the Organización Nacional de Trasplantes, and Eurotransplant. Results: From 2004 to 2018, there was a significant decrease in the worldwide Google Trends index from 78.2 in 2004 to 20.5 in 2018 (–71.2%) This trend was more evident in UNOS than in the Eurotransplant group. In Spain, where there are excellent awareness programs, the Google Trends index remained stable over the years with comparable, increasing LT numbers but a significantly lower waiting list mortality (15%).
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