Use of HBsAg-positive donors in liver transplantation: An ILTS-EASL-AASLD multisociety survey.

Abstract

The gap between organ supply and demand in liver transplantation remains large in most parts of the world. One strategy to increase the donor pool is to use grafts infected with HCV, HBV, and/or HIV viruses. We aimed to explore the current use of HBsAg-positive liver grafts worldwide. A prospective cross-sectional web-based survey was designed, with a total of 28 queries, assessing national and local regulations, center experience, and center-specific experience related to the topic, and sent to all members of International Liver Transplantation Society, European Association for the Study of the Liver, and American Association for the Study of the Liver, and promoted on social media. A total of 135 liver transplant centers answered the survey: 38% from WHO European Regions, 39% from American regions, and 9.7% from South-East Asian regions. Most of the participating centers (67.3%) had been performing liver transplantation for over 15 years, with a mean of 66.5 liver transplants per year, and 54% also performed living-donor liver transplants. HBV-related disease was the indication for liver transplantation in an average of 15% of all liver transplantation cases. Regarding national and/or regional regulations, 40% of the centers reported that the use of HBsAg-positive donors was permitted, and an additional 20% could use them under special circumstances. Thirty-two centers (31%) had previously used HBsAg-positive donors. Among these centers, 62.5% conducted living-donor liver transplants and showed an increased inclination toward the use of HBsAg-positive grafts in centers with elevated waitlist mortality. HBsAg-positive donors are underutilized worldwide. The use of HBsAg-positive liver grafts could help to increase the donor pool, particularly in highly endemic areas.