HLA matching between donors and recipients improves clinical liver transplant graft survival
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background and Aims The importance of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching between liver transplant donors and recipients on graft survival remains unclear and is not a clinical consideration in liver transplantation. This study aimed to determine the relationship between HLA matching and liver graft survival using a large-scale multi-centre database (UNOS/OPTN) and multivariate logistic analysis. The secondary aim was to determine whether this relationship was influenced by transplant indication and donor status. Methods This retrospective observational analysis was performed using 22 702 liver transplant recipients from the UNOS/OPTN database. Patients were divided into two groups based on number of HLA mismatches (0–3 mismatches vs. 4–6 mismatches) and then subcategorized by indication and donor status. Risk-adjusted outcomes were assessed by multivariate Cox analysis adjusting for donor and recipient characteristics and visualized using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Results Allograft survival and risk of acute rejection were associated with degree of HLA mismatch. This association between HLA mismatch and graft survival persisted in individuals who underwent transplant for hepatitis, metabolic, drug toxicity, and congenital indications. Donor status also influenced the relationship between HLA mismatch and graft survival. Graft survival in DBD recipients was longer than in DCD in the 4–6 HLA mismatch group, whereas no significant difference was found in the 0–3 HLA mismatch group. Conclusion HLA mismatch significantly reduced graft survival and increased risk of acute rejection. This association was noted only in specific indications. These findings are of potential clinical relevance to organ allocation, allograft matching algorithms, immunosuppression protocols, and transplant surveillance.
Date Issued
2024-02
Date Acceptance
2023-10-16
ISSN
1478-3223
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
411
End Page
421
Journal / Book Title
Liver International
Volume
44
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
© 2023 The Authors. Liver International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.
Identifier
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/liv.15774
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2023-11-27