Table 1. Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of the Study Population at the Time of Transplantation (1998-2008).
| Study Population (n=208) | Whites [n=106 (51.0%)] | Blacks [n=72 (34.6%)] | Other [n=30 (14.4%)] | P Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical variables | |||||
| Age at transplant (years)* | 3.5 (1.0-13.0) | 4.2 (1.3-13.5) | 3.3 (0.9-13.5) | 1.2 (0.7-5.4) | 0.0140 |
| Age categories [n (%)] | 0.0234 | ||||
| <1 year | 55 (26.4) | 19 (17.9) | 23 (32.0) | 13 (43.3) | |
| 1-5 years | 71 (34.1) | 41 (38.7) | 20 (27.8) | 10 (33.3) | |
| 6-10 years | 25 (12.0) | 15 (14.2) | 7 (9.7) | 3 (10.0) | |
| 11-17 years | 36 (17.3) | 21 (19.8) | 12 (15.3) | 4 (13.3) | |
| 18-22 years | 21 (10.1) | 10 (9.4) | 11 (15.3) | 0 (0) | |
| Female sex [n (%)] | 117 (56.2) | 55 (51.9) | 46 (63.9) | 16 (53.3) | 0.2683 |
| Disease etiology [n (%)] | 0.0008 | ||||
| Acute hepatic necrosis | 32 (15.4) | 11 (10.4) | 12 (16.7) | 9 (30.0) | |
| Biliary atresia | 83 (39.9) | 30 (28.3) | 40 (55.6) | 13 (43.3) | |
| Cholestatic liver disease/cirrhosis | 10 (4.8) | 5 (4.7) | 3 (4.2) | 2 (6.7) | |
| Metabolic disease | 24 (11.5) | 18 (17.0) | 4 (5.6) | 2 (6.7) | |
| Neoplasms (benign and malignant) | 9 (4.3) | 7 (6.6) | 1 (1.4) | 1 (3.3) | |
| Noncholestatic liver disease/cirrhosis | 35 (16.8) | 23 (21.7) | 11 (15.3) | 1 (3.3) | |
| Other | 15 (7.2) | 12 (11.3) | 1 (1.4) | 2 (6.7) | |
| Pretransplant characteristics | |||||
| Era [n (%)]† | 0.5341 | ||||
| Pre-MELD/PELD era | 81 (38.9) | 42 (39.6) | 30 (41.7) | 9 (30.0) | |
| MELD/PELD era | 127 (61.1) | 64 (60.4) | 42 (58.3) | 21 (70.0) | |
| Initial MELD/PELD score at wait listing*‡ | 15 (6-23) | 12 (4-22) | 21 (11-26) | 10 (−1 to 22) | 0.0186 |
| MELD/PELD score at transplant* | 17 (6-25) | 12 (1-23) | 22 (15-27) | 15 (4-25) | 0.0040 |
| Wait-list time (days)*§ | 74 (6-182) | 70 (9-189) | 81 (3-182) | 54 (4-143) | 0.8412 |
| Medical condition at transplant [n (%)]§ | 0.0120 | ||||
| At home | 129 (63.5) | 74 (71.8) | 40 (56.3) | 15 (51.7) | |
| Hospitalized | 16 (7.9) | 3 (2.9) | 11 (15.5) | 2 (6.9) | |
| In intensive care unit | 58 (28.6) | 26 (25.2) | 20 (28.2) | 12 (41.4) | |
| Transplant characteristics (first transplant only) | |||||
| Transplant graft type [n (%)] | <0.0001 | ||||
| Deceased donor, whole | 117 (56.2) | 64 (60.4) | 39 (54.2) | 14 (46.7) | |
| Deceased donor, reduced | 63 (30.3) | 23 (21.7) | 25 (34.7) | 15 (50.0) | |
| Split | 8 (3.8) | 0 (0.0) | 7 (9.7) | 1 (3.3) | |
| Living donor | 20 (9.6) | 19 (17.9) | 1 (1.4) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Donor-recipient sex mismatch [n (%)]¶ | 107 (51.7) | 52 (49.5) | 37 (51.4) | 18 (60.0) | 0.5976 |
| Donor age [n (%)]¶ | 0.0300 | ||||
| 0-18 years | 122 (58.9) | 57 (54.3) | 51 (70.8) | 14 (46.7) | |
| >18 years | 85 (41.1) | 48 (45.7) | 21 (29.2) | 16 (53.3) | |
| Cold ischemia time (hours)#** | 8.5±3.8 | 8.6±4.6 | 8.5±2.4 | 7.9±2.8 | 0.7460 |
| Posttransplant characteristics | |||||
| Nonadherence [n (%)]†† | 87 (41.8) | 36 (34.0) | 41 (56.9) | 10 (33.3) | 0.0064 |
| 2 or more rejection episodes [n (%)]‡‡ | 85 (42.1) | 37 (36.3) | 38 (54.3) | 10 (33.3) | 0.0405 |
NOTE: P values in bold are statistically significant (P<0.05).
*
The data are presented as medians and IQRs.
†
The PELD severity score was introduced in 2002. It is used for patients less than 12 years old.
‡
Data were missing for 7.1% of the patients eligible for a MELD/PELD score (n = 127).
§
Data were missing for 3.4% of the patients.
║
Data were missing for 2.4% of the patients.
¶
Data were missing for 0.4% of the patients.
#
Data were missing for 30.1% of the patients.
**
The data are presented as means and standard deviations.
††
Includes nonadherence to medications, office visits, and laboratory testing.
‡‡
Data were missing for 2.9% of the patients.