Donor Characteristics and Regional Differences in the Utilization of HCV-Positive Donors in Liver Transplantation

Key Points Question What are the clinical characteristics of donors who are positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV), and how are these donors utilized across the United States? Findings This cross-sectional study found that HCV-positive donors were healthier and donated superior liver allografts compared with HCV-negative donors. There were substantial variations in the utilization of HCV-positive donors across the United States that were not entirely explained by the geography of the opioid epidemic. Meaning These findings suggest that policies to drive the increased utilization of HCV-positive donors should be encouraged and implemented.