Liver transplantation (LT) activity is predominantly concentrated in high-Sociodemographic Index (SDI) countries, with low-SDI regions exhibiting minimal LT access largely reliant on living donors.
A strong inverse gradient exists between LT capacity and both cirrhosis prevalence and mortality rates across SDI strata, indicating misalignment between transplantation infrastructure and epidemiological need.
Within-country analyses suggest a modest but statistically significant association where increased LT activity correlates with reduced mortality relative to disease prevalence.
Expanding equitable LT infrastructure, alongside ongoing prevention, may improve population-level outcomes in chronic liver disease.
