Profile of the Average Organ Non-donor: Can it be Used Predictively?

Abstract

Objective: To describe the profile of the average organ non-donor, compare it to that of the average donor, and identify characteristics that predict the likelihood that a given individual will be a non-donor. Methods: The charts of 397 consenting potential organ donors of LifeLink of Puerto Rico from 2009 through 2011 were reviewed. Data regarding gender, age, BMI, the presence of diabetes, hypertension and/or kidney injury, death from cerebrovascular accident, and smoking were collected. Results: Of the 397 charts reviewed, 283 were from donors, 96 were from nondonors, and 18 were excluded from the analysis. When compared to donors, nondonors were found more frequently to be 60 years old or older, diabetic, hypertensive, or obese; to have suffered from kidney injury, to have smoked and to have died of a cerebrovascular accident. On multivariate analysis, age, diabetes, kidney injury and smoking remained significant. However, after adjusting for age, only smoking and death from cerebrovascular accident remained statistically associated to nondonor status. Conclusion: Although being over 60 years old, having smoked and dying from a cerebrovascular accident were characteristics found significantly more frequently in non-donors, these characteristics were also present in some donors. Therefore, a careful evaluation of each potential donor is still mandatory to avoid the loss of transplantable organs.