Pediatric liver transplantation in Latin America: Where do we stand?

Abstract

LT started in LA in 1968, and pediatric LT records are available starting in the 1990s. Currently, eight countries perform pediatric LT in LA. Registries by national organizations fail to report robust data on pediatric LT. The aim of this paper was to report on the pediatric LT activity in LA. Data were gathered retrospectively through information available in the national registries websites and from local centers. Of the eight countries that report pediatric LT activity, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Colombia have adequate registries of the numbers of LT performed. These countries concentrate most of the activity for pediatric LT. A total of 4593 pediatric LT were reported in LA. Websites for national organizations do not provide open data on post-transplant survival rates or waiting list mortality. The information herein is based on reports by local centers. Overall, survival from select centers is similar to that reported on North American and European registries, between 80 and 90% in the first year post-transplant. In conclusion, pediatric LT activity is growing in LA, especially in Brazil and Argentina. However, the lack of an appropriate LA registry restricts the assessment of quality and therefore restricts interventions aimed at quality improvements in different regions.

Availability of secondary healthcare data for conducting pharmacoepidemiology studies in Colombia: A systematic review

“…Most publications were full‐text articles (71%), and 29% posters, mainly from scientific conferences. Only 34 articles (10%) included information of additional countries besides Colombia 23,50,54,59,61,62,80‐83,85,86,159,160,169,178,181,198,206,241,260,265,267,278,279,292,304,305,307,326,331,333,334,337 …”

Situación actual del trasplante hepático pediátrico por hepatopatías crónicas en Chile: Inequidades asociadas a la priorización por sistema MELD/PELD

“…No hubo diferencias significativas en la mediana de puntaje MELD/ PELD al alistamiento en cada grupo (p = 0,136) (Tabla 1). La mediana de puntaje MELD/PELD al alistamiento fue menor en pacientes con etiología colestásica comparado con otras etiologías (17 [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] versus 21 [20-30], respectivamente; p = 0,003). Debido a falta de registro del puntaje MELD/PELD al retiro de LE (por trasplante o fallecimiento), no se consideró esta variable en el análisis.…”

Barriers and Limitations to Access to Liver Transplantation in Latin America

“…Despite the lack of resources in most of the public health systems, liver transplant started relatively early in Latin America: in 1968 in Brazil and 1969 in Chile . Other countries started their programs only a few years later, at a time when liver transplant was still considered an experimental procedure, the survival rate was poor, and it had many complications related to the technique, rejection, and drug side effects.…”