ATC Abstracts

American Transplant Congress abstracts

  • Home
  • Meetings Archive
    • 2022 American Transplant Congress
    • 2021 American Transplant Congress
    • 2020 American Transplant Congress
    • 2019 American Transplant Congress
    • 2018 American Transplant Congress
    • 2017 American Transplant Congress
    • 2016 American Transplant Congress
    • 2015 American Transplant Congress
    • 2013 American Transplant Congress
  • Keyword Index
  • Resources
    • 2021 Resources
    • 2016 Resources
      • 2016 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2016 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2015-2016
      • AST Board of Directors 2015-2016
    • 2015 Resources
      • 2015 Welcome Letter
      • ATC 2015 Program Planning Committees
      • ASTS Council 2014-2015
      • AST Board of Directors 2014-2015
      • 2015 Conference Schedule
  • Search

Pre-Listing Prescription Narcotic Use: Survival Implications in Liver Transplantation.

H. Randall,1,6 K. Lentine,6 D. Segev,2,1 H. Yuan,6 J. Tuttle-Newhall,3 M. Nazzal,6 C. Varma,6 G. Hess,5 B. Kasiske,1 M. Schnitzler.6,1

1Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients, Minneapolis
2Johns Hopkins, Baltimore
3Dartmouth, Hanover
4East Carolina Univ, Greenville
5Symphony Health, Pittsburgh
6Saint Louis Univ, St. Louis.

Meeting: 2016 American Transplant Congress

Abstract number: 325

Keywords: Liver

Session Information

Session Name: Concurrent Session: Liver Transplantation Peri-Operative Considerations

Session Type: Concurrent Session

Date: Monday, June 13, 2016

Session Time: 4:30pm-6:00pm

 Presentation Time: 4:30pm-4:42pm

Location: Room 311

Narcotic use among liver transplant (LTX) candidates is common. However, the survival implications and intensity of use are not well understood.

We integrated national SRTR data with pharmacy fill records from a nationwide prescription claims data warehouse for LTX candidates listed between 2008 and 2014. Narcotic fills in the year before listing were normalized to morphine equivalents (ME). Associations of pre-listing narcotic use (adjusted hazard ratio, aHR) and other baseline clinical factors with short-term (1 year) and long-term (2-5 year) patient survival after LTX were assessed with multivariate Cox regression.

Among 41,907 LTX candidates, 48.6% filled ≥1 narcotic prescription in the year before listing, and 25.8% filled multiple prescriptions, equating with a total dose of ≥10 ME/day. Factors associated with pre-listing narcotic use and dose included younger age, white non-Hispanic race/ethnicity, unemployment at listing, and disease due to hepatitis C, drug overdose, or tumors. Of listed patients, 22,114 (52.8%) underwent transplant during the study. We found no association between pre-listing narcotic use or dose and access to transplant, but significant associations with narcotic use and posttransplant survival in multivariate analysis at doses ≥10 ME/day.

LTX Recipient Survival at 1 Year and 2-5 Years Posttransplant by Pre-listing Narcotic Exposure

We also found significant effects on survival for age, sex, race, unemployment, INR, serum creatinine, and primary diagnosis.

Pre-listing narcotic use in more than one-quarter of LTX candidates (≥10 ME/day) is independently associated with increased death risk after LTX. Future work should identify underlying mechanisms and management approaches to improving outcomes.

CITATION INFORMATION: Randall H, Lentine K, Segev D, Yuan H, Tuttle-Newhall J, Nazzal M, Varma C, Hess G, Kasiske B, Schnitzler M. Pre-Listing Prescription Narcotic Use: Survival Implications in Liver Transplantation. Am J Transplant. 2016;16 (suppl 3).

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Randall H, Lentine K, Segev D, Yuan H, Tuttle-Newhall J, Nazzal M, Varma C, Hess G, Kasiske B, Schnitzler M. Pre-Listing Prescription Narcotic Use: Survival Implications in Liver Transplantation. [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2016; 16 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/pre-listing-prescription-narcotic-use-survival-implications-in-liver-transplantation/. Accessed May 10, 2025.

« Back to 2016 American Transplant Congress

Visit Our Partner Sites

American Transplant Congress (ATC)

Visit the official site for the American Transplant Congress »

American Journal of Transplantation

The official publication for the American Society of Transplantation (AST) and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) »

American Society of Transplantation (AST)

An organization of more than 3000 professionals dedicated to advancing the field of transplantation. »

American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS)

The society represents approximately 1,800 professionals dedicated to excellence in transplantation surgery. »

Copyright © 2013-2025 by American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Cookie Preferences