Liver Transplant Survival Rate Sees Improvement Among Older Adults

A study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society details successful liver transplants in older adults, reports EurekAlert . The researchers analyzed data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients from 2003 to 2016, which includes information about all liver donors, people on liver transplant wait lists, and those who have received transplants in the United States. The team found out of 58,598 adults who received liver transplants, 14.7 percent were older adults, of whom 78 percent were 65 to 69, 1 percent were 70 to 74, 6 percent were 75 to 79, and 1 percent were 80 or older. The number of liver transplants performed in older adults annually rose significantly, with 1,144 older adults receiving transplants in 2016 versus 263 in 2003. Lately, older adults have been doing better after transplants, with the one-year acute rejection rate in 2013-2016 determined to be 30 percent lower than it was in 2003-2006. The mortality risk was 57 percent lower than in 2003-2006. Furthermore, survival in older liver transplant recipients showed steady improvement over time.