Liver transplant linked to significantly extended survival for alcohol-associated disease yet access is not equitable

AI Summary

A large study found that liver transplantation was associated with substantially longer survival among people with alcohol-associated liver disease. It also found unequal access: women and African Americans had lower odds of receiving transplants despite no higher risk of death than comparison groups.

People with alcohol-associated liver disease who received a liver transplant survived years longer than those who did not, but there are disparities in which patients receive a transplant. A large study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research found that liver transplantation was associated with significantly longer survival in both the short term and longer term. Yet, women and African Americans had lower odds of receiving a transplant, even though neither group had a higher risk of death than men or white patients.