Effect of Donor–Recipient Age Difference on Liver Transplant Outcomes

Background: The global organ shortage and aging population lead to the use of liver grafts with increasing donor-recipient age discrepancies. This study evaluated the impact of donor-recipient age mismatch on posttransplant outcomes. Methods: Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network/United Network for Organ Sharing data were analyzed, stratifying donor-to-recipient pairs by age difference: young-to-old (≥20 y), old-to-young (≥20 y), and similar-age group (<20 y difference). Liver life expectancy was calculated by adding recipient survival time to donor age. Graft survival was assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Results: = 0.021). Conclusions: A greater donor-to-recipient age difference, particularly with older donors, negatively impacted liver graft survival. However, patient survival was not affected, supporting the use of older grafts to optimize transplant benefits for selected recipient populations.