Transplant patients with less severe chronic liver disease had decreased survival rates after receiving organs from post-cardiac death donors, according to a study.
But researchers observed a survival benefit in patients with more severe liver disease, based on the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), who received organs from post-cardiac death donors, compared with staying on the waitlist.
Investigators also examined the relative cost-effectiveness of post-cardiac death liver donations compared with donations after brain death. Higher costs and lower survival rates were associated with post-cardiac death transplantation in patients who received MELD exception points. Investigators also calculated that post-cardiac death transplantations were associated with an additional +0.26 quality-adjusted life years and an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $552,000 per quality-adjusted life year.
“All [incremental cost-effectiveness ratios] were beyond conventional willingness-to-pay thresholds,” the study authors wrote.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.