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© 2019. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Liver transplant programs in Canada require a period of 6 months of abstinence from alcohol before considering a patient with liver disease secondary to alcohol for transplantation. Although some studies have demonstrated good outcomes following a transplant in carefully selected patients before the 6‐month abstinence period has been met, there have been arguments against this, including the claim that the public has a general negative perception of those with alcohol dependence. We performed a multicenter cross‐sectional survey to determine the perception of people in British Columbia, Canada, toward liver transplantation in patients with liver disease due to alcohol who have not demonstrated the capacity to remain abstinent from alcohol for 6 months. A total of 304 patient questionnaires were completed, and 83.1% agreed with a period of abstinence of 6 months. In those patients who were unlikely to survive 6 months without a transplant, 34.1% of respondents agreed with, 44.1% did not agree with, and 21.4% were neutral about, early transplantation; 42.8% would have less trust in the process of transplantation if a period of abstinence was not maintained, but relaxing the requirement for an abstinence period would not have an impact on the majority's decision to donate organs. Only 30.5% would support abandoning the abstinence criteria. Conclusion: Among patients followed at general gastroenterology, medicine, or transplant clinics, there is a willingness to relax the criteria in selected patients unlikely to survive without a transplant, although a general consensus remains in support of the existing 6‐month alcohol abstinence rule. A larger scale survey of all provinces in Canada would be required to assess support for such a change in policy.

Details

Title
Patients' Perspectives on Early Liver Transplantation in Alcohol‐Related Liver Disease
Author
Wong, Eric 1 ; Mullins, Paul D 2 ; Jean‐Philippe Wallach 3 ; Yoshida, Eric M 4 ; Erb, Sigfried R 4 ; Jo‐Ann Ford 5 ; Scudamore, Charles H 6 ; Marquez, Vladimir 4 

 Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 
 Division of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, Canada 
 Nanaimo Regional Hospital, Nanaimo, Canada 
 Division of Gastroenterology, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, Canada 
 British Columbia Hepatitis Clinic, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, Canada 
 Department of Surgery, Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, Canada 
Pages
1022-1031
Section
Original Articles
Publication year
2019
Publication date
Aug 2019
Publisher
Wolters Kluwer Health Medical Research, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
e-ISSN
2471254X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2267359425
Copyright
© 2019. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.