Liver Transplantation for Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Liver Failure: Role of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Listing Decisions and Outcomes

for the Acute Liver Failure Study Group

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Psychiatric co-morbidities are thought to deter listing of patients with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure (APAP-ALF) for liver transplantation (LT). We examined the listing process and short-term outcomes via a cohort study of APAP-ALF patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity. Methods: We analyzed listing determinants, listing rates, and short-term (21-day) outcomes in APAP-ALF patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity (mental illness and/or substance abuse) enrolled in the ALFSG registry between 2000 and 2016. Results: Of the 910 APAP-ALF patients, 801 (88%) had evidence of psychiatric comorbidity. There was no difference in listing between patients with (169/801, 21%) and without (26/109, 24%) psychiatric comorbidity (p = 0.59). Listed patients in both groups were younger with more severe admission clinical parameters than those not listed. Patients with and without psychiatric comorbidity had similar short-term outcomes: transplant rates among listed patients [57/169 (34%) vs 10/26 (39%), p = 0.80], spontaneous (transplant-free) survival (SS) [544/801 (68%) vs 73/109 (67%), p = 0.93], and overall death [207/801 (26%) vs 26/109 (24%), p = 0.74]. Conclusions: In our study, which is limited by informal psychiatric assessments, psychiatric comorbidity in APAP-ALF patients does not appear to impact listing, or short-term outcomes—SS, LT, or death. Transplant listing decisions primarily appear to be based on clinical severity of disease, rather than concern that APAP-ALF patients’ psychiatric comorbidity will compromise outcomes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1861-1868
Number of pages8
JournalDigestive Diseases and Sciences
Volume65
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2020

Keywords

  • Acetaminophen
  • Acute
  • Liver failure
  • Liver transplantation
  • Psychiatric diagnosis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Gastroenterology

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