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This study investigates the relationship between blood group and waiting time until transplantation or death on the waiting list. All patients listed for liver transplantation in the Netherlands between 15 December 2006 and 31 December 2012, were included. Study variables were gender, age, year of listing, diagnosis, previous transplantations, blood group, urgency, and MELD score. Using a competing risks analysis, separate cumulative incidence curves were constructed for death on the waiting list and transplantation and used to evaluate outcomes.In 517 listings, the mean death rate per 100 patient-years was 10.4. A total of 375 (72.5% of all listings) were transplanted. Of all transplantations, 352 (93.9%) were ABO-identical and 23 (6.1%) ABO-compatible. The 5-year cumulative incidence of death was 11.2% (SE 1.4%), and of transplantation 72.5% (SE 2.0%). Patient blood group had no multivariate significant impact on the hazard of dying on the waiting list nor on transplantation. Age, MELD score, and urgency status were significantly related to the death on the waiting list and transplantation. More recent listing had higher probability of being transplanted. In the MELD era, patient blood group status does not have a significant impact on liver transplant waiting list mortality nor on waiting time for transplantation., (© 2016 Steunstichting ESOT.)

This study aims to perform a detailed prospective observational multicenter cost-effectiveness study by comparing liver transplantations with donation after brain death (DBD) and donation after cardiac death (DCD) grafts. All liver transplantations in the three Dutch liver transplant centers between 2004 and 2009 were included with 1-year follow-up. Primary outcome parameter was cost per life year after transplantation. Secondary outcome parameters were 1-year patient and graft survival, complications, and patient-level costs. From 382 recipients that underwent 423 liver transplantations, 293 were primarily transplanted with DBD and 89 with DCD organs. Baseline characteristics were not different between both groups. The Donor Risk Index was significantly different as were cold and warm ischemic time. Ward stay was significantly longer in DCD transplantations. Patient and graft survival were not significantly different. Patients receiving DCD organs had more and more severe complications. The cost per life year for DBD was € 88,913 compared to € 112,376 for DCD. This difference was statistically significant. DCD livers have more and more severe complications, more reinterventions and consequently higher costs than DBD livers. However, patient and graft survival was not different in this study. Reimbursement should be differentiated to better accommodate DCD transplantations., (© 2013 The Authors Transplant International © 2013 European Society for Organ Transplantation. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)