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Impact of distance from liver transplant centre on outcomes following liver transplantation: an Australian single-centre study.
- Source :
-
Internal medicine journal [Intern Med J] 2025 Jan 13. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Jan 13. - Publication Year :
- 2025
- Publisher :
- Ahead of Print
-
Abstract
- Background: Access to liver transplantation (LT) is affected by geographic disparities. Higher waitlist mortality is observed in patients residing farther from LT centres, but the impact of distance on post-LT outcomes is unclear.<br />Aims: To evaluate whether the distance LT recipients reside from their LT centre affects graft and patient outcomes.<br />Methods: We retrospectively studied consecutive adult patients who received deceased donor LT at a statewide LT referral centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH), 2006-2021. The primary outcome was overall patient survival.<br />Results: A total of 973 patients who underwent LT during the study period were analysed. The median distance from patient residence to RPAH was 44.9 km (interquartile range 21.9-168.0). Of these, 64.2% lived ≤100 km from RPAH. Compared to patients living ≤100 km from RPAH, those living >100 km away were less likely to be male, have chronic hepatitis B as their cause of liver disease or have hepatocellular carcinoma as their primary indication for LT. Living >100 km from RPAH was associated with fewer face-to-face clinic visits in the first year after LT (10 vs 11 visits, P < 0.001) and fewer readmissions to RPAH (32.4% vs 67.6%, P < 0.001). Distance from RPAH, regional code and socioeconomic code did not affect long-term graft or patient survival based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (log-rank P > 0.1).<br />Conclusion: In our single-centre Australian study, patients living farther from their LT centre had different demographics. Distance from the LT centre was not associated with long-term inferior graft or patient survival after LT.<br /> (© 2025 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1445-5994
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Internal medicine journal
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 39804035
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.16631