Study Finds Livers with a Cumulative Age of 100 Years
Scientists from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and Andover, Massachusetts and TransMedics have discovered that there are transplanted livers that have a cumulative age exceeding one hundred years. The team of scientists studied those livers in order to find out why they were so resilient. They presented their discoveries at the 2022 Scientific Forum of the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress.
For their research, the scientists used the UNOS STAR file to locate livers that had a cumulative age equal to or exceeding one hundred years. They discovered that of the total number of livers transplanted in the period between 1990 and 2022, 25 livers were centurion livers. Centurion livers are livers with a cumulative age exceeding one hundred years.
The lead author of the study, Yash Kadakia, stated that the group examined the age of every donor in addition to how long their liver survived in the person who received it. They then differentiated these livers by identifying recipient factors, donor factors and transplant factors, which helped create the combination that allowed the liver to survive to one hundred years.
The researchers found that the average age of donors for centurion livers was about 84 years, which is considerably higher than the average age for non-centurion liver donors, which stood at 38.5 years. They also discovered that centurion liver donors had lower levels of transaminases. These are enzymes that play a crucial role in this important organ. High levels of these enzymes cause issues during liver transplantation.
In addition to this, the researchers observed that patients who received these livers had substantially lower MELD scores when compared to those who received livers from younger donors. High MELD scores show that a patient is urgently in need of a transplant. Further, the researchers noted that patients who received centurion livers had better allograft and rates of survival. This is in addition to noting that the centurion liver donors had fewer infections and lower diabetes incidence, which could explain why their livers could live to and even surpass age 100.
Christine Hwang, coauthor of the study, stated that finding out what was special among older liver donors would make it possible to use livers from older donors for transplants and have better outcomes. Hwang added that as of September 2022, there were more than 11,000 applicants on the waiting list for liver transplant; she noted that using livers from older donors could possibly expand the donor pool.
With various industry players such as Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX) working to reduce rates of organ transplant rejection, the prevalence of centurion livers is likely to gradually increase as the years roll by.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ADTX
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
Scientists from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, and Andover, Massachusetts and TransMedics have discovered that there are transplanted livers that have a cumulative age exceeding one hundred years. The team of scientists studied those livers in order to find out why they were so resilient. They presented their discoveries at the 2022 Scientific Forum of the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress.
For their research, the scientists used the UNOS STAR file to locate livers that had a cumulative age equal to or exceeding one hundred years. They discovered that of the total number of livers transplanted in the period between 1990 and 2022, 25 livers were centurion livers. Centurion livers are livers with a cumulative age exceeding one hundred years.
The lead author of the study, Yash Kadakia, stated that the group examined the age of every donor in addition to how long their liver survived in the person who received it. They then differentiated these livers by identifying recipient factors, donor factors and transplant factors, which helped create the combination that allowed the liver to survive to one hundred years.
The researchers found that the average age of donors for centurion livers was about 84 years, which is considerably higher than the average age for non-centurion liver donors, which stood at 38.5 years. They also discovered that centurion liver donors had lower levels of transaminases. These are enzymes that play a crucial role in this important organ. High levels of these enzymes cause issues during liver transplantation.
In addition to this, the researchers observed that patients who received these livers had substantially lower MELD scores when compared to those who received livers from younger donors. High MELD scores show that a patient is urgently in need of a transplant. Further, the researchers noted that patients who received centurion livers had better allograft and rates of survival. This is in addition to noting that the centurion liver donors had fewer infections and lower diabetes incidence, which could explain why their livers could live to and even surpass age 100.
Christine Hwang, coauthor of the study, stated that finding out what was special among older liver donors would make it possible to use livers from older donors for transplants and have better outcomes. Hwang added that as of September 2022, there were more than 11,000 applicants on the waiting list for liver transplant; she noted that using livers from older donors could possibly expand the donor pool.
With various industry players such as Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX) working to reduce rates of organ transplant rejection, the prevalence of centurion livers is likely to gradually increase as the years roll by.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Aditxt Inc. (NASDAQ: ADTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/ADTX
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
