ANALYSIS OF THE SURVIVAL OF CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS ENLISTED FOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN THE PRE- AND POST-MELD ERA IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Context Transplantation is the only cure for decompensated cirrhosis. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) is used in liver allocation. Objectives Comparing survival of enlisted populations in pre- and post-MELD eras and estimating their long-term survival. Methods This is a retrospective study of cirrhotics enlisted for transplantation during pre- and post-MELD eras. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier’s model. Cox’s model was used to determine risk factors for mortality. Exponential, Weibull’s, normal-log and Gompertz’s models were used to estimate long-term survival. Results The study included 162 patients enlisted in pre-MELD era and 184 in post-MELD period. Kaplan-Meier’s survival curve of patients enlisted in post-MELD era was better than that of pre-MELD period (P = 0.009). This difference remained for long-term estimates, with a survival of 53.54% in 5 years and 44.64% in 10 years for patients enlisted in post-MELD era and of 43.17% and 41.75% for pre-MELD period. Era in which patients had been enlisted (P = 0.010) and MELD score at enlistment (P