Imprecise definitions of starting points in retrospectively reviewing potential organ donors causes confusion: call for a reproducible method like 'imminent brain death'.

Low donor supply and the high demand for transplantable organs is an international problem. The efficiency of organ procurement is often expressed by donor conversion rates (DCRs). These rates differ among countries, but a uniform starting point for defining a potential heart-beating donor is lacking. Imprecise definitions cause confusion; therefore, we call for a reproducible method like imminent brain death (IBD), which contains criteria in detail to determine potential heart-beating donors. Medical charts of 4814 patients who died on an ICU in Dutch university hospitals between January 2007 and December 2009 were reviewed for potential heart-beating donors. We compared two starting points: 'Severe Brain Damage' (SBD) (old definition) and IBD (new definition), which differ in the number of absent brainstem reflexes. Of the potential donors defined by IBD 45.6% fulfilled the formal brain death criteria, compared with 33.6% in the larger SBD group. This results in a higher DCR in the IBD group (40% vs. 29.5%). We illustrated important differences in DCRs when using two different definitions, even within one country. To allow comparison among countries and hospitals, one universal definition of a potential heart-beating donor should be used. Therefore, we propose the use of IBD.

Current situation of donation after circulatory death in European countries.

The aim of the present study was to describe the current situation of donation after circulatory death (DCD) in the Council of Europe, through a dedicated survey. Of 27 participating countries, only 10 confirmed any DCD activity, the highest one being described in Belgium, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom (mainly controlled) and France and Spain (mainly uncontrolled). During 2000-2009, as DCD increased, donation after brain death (DBD) decreased about 20% in the three countries with a predominant controlled DCD activity, while DBD had increased in the majority of European countries. The number of organs recovered and transplanted per DCD increased along time, although it remained substantially lower compared with DBD. During 2000-2008, 5004 organs were transplanted from DCD (4261 kidneys, 505 livers, 157 lungs and 81 pancreas). Short-term outcomes of 2343 kidney recipients from controlled versus 649 from uncontrolled DCD were analyzed: primary non function occurred in 5% vs. 6.4% (P = NS) and delayed graft function in 50.2% vs. 75.7% (P < 0.001). In spite of this, 1 year graft survival was 85.9% vs. 88.9% (P = 0.04), respectively. DCD is increasingly accepted in Europe but still limited to a few countries. Controlled DCD might negatively impact DBD activity. The degree of utilization of DCD is lower compared with DBD. Short-term results of DCD are promising with differences between kidney recipients transplanted from controlled versus uncontrolled DCD, an observation to be further analyzed.

Appointing 'trained donation practitioners' results in a higher family consent rate in the Netherlands: a multicenter study.

The consent process for organ and tissue donation is complex, both for families and professionals. To help professionals in broaching this subject we performed a multicenter study. We compared family consent to donation in three hospitals between December 2007 and December 2009. In the intervention hospital, trained donation practitioners (TDP) guided 66 families throughout the time in the ICU until a decision regarding donation had been reached. In the first control hospital, without any family guidance or training, 107 families were approached. In the second control hospital 'hostesses', who were not trained in donation questions, supported 99 families during admittance. A total of 272 families were requested to donate. We primarily compared consent rates, but also asked families about their experiences through a questionnaire. Family consent rate was significantly higher in the intervention hospital: 57.6% (38/66), than in the control hospitals: 34.6% (37/107) and 39.4% (39/99). The 69% response rate to the questionnaire -~5 months after death - showed no confounding variables that could have influenced the consent rate. Appointing TDPs in the intervention hospital to guide families during admittance and the donation decision-making process, results in higher family consent rates.

Organ donation performance in the Netherlands 2005-08; medical record review in 64 hospitals.

BACKGROUND: The Netherlands has a low number of deceased organ donors per million population. As long as there is a shortage of suitable organs, the need to evaluate the donor potential is crucial. Only in this way can bottlenecks in the organ donation process be detected and measures subsequently taken to further improve donation procedures. METHODS: Within a time frame of 4 years, 2005-08, medical charts of all intensive care deaths in 64 hospitals were reviewed by transplant coordinators and donation officers. Data were entered in a web-based application of the Dutch Transplant Foundation, both to identify the number of potential organ donors (including donation after cardiac death), as well as to analyse the reasons for potential donor loss. RESULTS: In total, 23 508 patients died in intensive care units, of which 64% were younger than 76 years. The percentage of all potential organ donors out of the total number of deaths decreased from 8.2% in 2005 to 7.1% in 2008. Donor detection increased from 96% in 2005 to 99% in 2008. Of the potential donors, 17-21% recorded consent and 17-18% recorded objection in the national Donor Register. If the Donor Register was not decisive, the consent rate of families approached for organ donation was 35% in 2005, 29% in 2006, 41% in 2007 and 31% in 2008. The overall conversion rate (the number of actual donors divided by the number of potential donors) was 30%, 26%, 35% and 29% in these years. In the group of potential donor losses, objection by families accounted for about 60% during this study. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the maximal number of potential organ donors is about three times higher than the number of effective organ donors. The main reason accounting for approximately 60% of the potential donor losses was the high family refusal rate. The year 2007 showed that a higher percentage of deceased organ donors can be procured from the pool of potential donors. All improvements should focus on decreasing the unacceptably high family refusal rates.

A plea for uniform European definitions for organ donor potential and family refusal rates.

Conversion of potential organ donors to actual donors is negatively influenced by family refusals. Refusal rates differ strongly among countries. Is it possible to compare refusal rates in order to be able to learn from countries with the best practices? We searched in the literature for reviews of donor potential and refusal rates for organ donation in intensive care units. We found 14 articles pertinent to this study. There is an enormous diversity among the performed studies. The definitions of potential organ donors and family refusal differed substantially. We tried to re-calculate the refusal rates. This method failed because of the influence caused by the registered will on donation in the Donor Register. We therefore calculated the total refusal rate. This strategy was also less satisfactory considering possible influence of the legal consent system on the approach of family. Because of lack of uniform definitions, we can conclude that the refusal rates for organ donation can not be used for a sound comparison among countries. To be able to learn from well-performing countries, it is necessary to establish uniform definitions regarding organ donation and registration of all intensive care deaths.

Blood pressure, lipids, and obesity are associated with retinopathy: the hoorn study.

OBJECTIVE: To study potential risk factors for retinopathy in diabetic and nondiabetic individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Hoorn Study is a population-based study including 2,484 50- to 74-year-old Caucasians. A subsample of 626 individuals stratified by age, sex, and glucose tolerance underwent extensive measurements during 1989-1992, including ophthalmologic examination and two-field 45-degree fundus photography. The prevalence of (diabetic) retinopathy was assessed among individuals with normal glucose metabolism (NGM) and impaired glucose metabolism (IGM) and individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus (NDM) and known diabetes mellitus (KDM) (new World Health Organization 1999 criteria). RESULTS: The prevalence of retinopathy was 9% in NGM, 11% in IGM, 13% in NDM, and 34% in KDM. Retinopathy worse than minimal nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy was present in 8% in KDM and 0-2% in other glucose categories. The prevalence of retinopathy was positively associated with elevated blood pressure, BMI, cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels in all glucose categories. The age-, sex-, and glucose metabolism category-adjusted odds ratios were 1.5 (95% CI 1.2-1.9), 1.3 (1.0-1.7), and 1.3 (1.0-1.6) per SD increase of systolic blood pressure, BMI, and total cholesterol concentration, respectively, and 1.2 (1.0-1.5) per 50% increase of triglyceride level. Elevated blood pressure and plasma total and LDL cholesterol levels showed associations with retinal hard exudates. CONCLUSIONS: Retinopathy is a multifactorial microvascular complication, which, apart from hyperglycemia, is associated with blood pressure, lipid concentrations, and BMI.

Risk factors for incident retinopathy in a diabetic and nondiabetic population: the Hoorn study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of glycosylated hemoglobin, age, sex, hypertension, body mass index, waist-hip ratio, serum lipid levels, and smoking on the incidence of retinopathy in persons with normal and abnormal glucose metabolism. METHODS: The incidence of retinopathy was determined in 233 individuals, aged 50 to 74 years, by ophthalmoscopy and fundus photography at baseline and after an average follow-up of 9.4 years. Relative risks for retinopathy, estimated by odds ratios, were calculated for tertiles of cardiovascular risk factors at baseline. Logistic regression analysis was used, without and with adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, and glucose metabolism. RESULTS: The cumulative incidences of retinopathy among individuals with normal, impaired, and diabetic glucose metabolism were 7.3%, 13.6%, and 17.5%, respectively. Adjusted odds ratios for retinopathy were 2.36 (95% confidence interval, 1.02-5.49) for hypertension and 3.29 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-9.72) and 8.67 (95% confidence interval, 1.85-40.60) for the highest tertiles of glycosylated hemoglobin level and waist-hip ratio, respectively. No consistent or statistically significant associations with retinopathy were present for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, and serum levels of triglycerides and total, high-density lipoprotein, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P>.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Glycemia, hypertension, and abdominal obesity are determinants for retinopathy in a general population.

Higher refusal rates for organ donation among older potential donors in the Netherlands: impact of the donor register and relatives.

BACKGROUND: The availability of donor organs is considerably reduced by relatives refusing donation after death. There is no previous large-scale evaluation of the influence of the Donor Register (DR) consultation and the potential donor's age on this refusal in The Netherlands. METHODS: This study examines 2101 potential organ donors identified in intensive care units between 2005 and 2008 and analyzes the association of DR consultation and subsequent refusal by relatives and the relationship with the potential donor's age. RESULTS: Of the 1864 potential donor cases where the DR was consulted, the DR revealed no registration in 56%, 20% registration of consent, and 18% objection. In the other 6.5% of cases, where the DR indicated that relatives had to decide, the relatives' refusal rate was significantly lower than in the absence of a DR registration (46% vs. 63%). In 6% of the cases where the DR recorded donation consent, relatives still refused donation. DR registration, objection in the DR, and the relatives' refusal rate if the DR was not decisive increased with donor age. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the introduction of a DR, relatives still play an equally important role in the final decision for organ donation. The general public should be encouraged to register their donation preferences in the DR and also to discuss their preferences with their families. The higher refusal rate of older potential donors means that this group should receive more information about organ donation, especially because the cohort of available donors is ageing.

Imminent brain death: point of departure for potential heart-beating organ donor recognition.

PURPOSE: There is, in European countries that conduct medical chart review of intensive care unit (ICU) deaths, no consensus on uniform criteria for defining a potential organ donor. Although the term is increasingly being used in recent literature, it is seldom defined in detail. We searched for criteria for determination of imminent brain death, which can be seen as a precursor for organ donation. METHODS: We organized meetings with representatives from the field of clinical neurology, neurotraumatology, intensive care medicine, transplantation medicine, clinical intensive care ethics, and organ procurement management. During these meetings, all possible criteria were discussed to identify a patient with a reasonable probability to become brain dead (imminent brain death). We focused on the practical usefulness of two validated coma scales (Glasgow Coma Scale and the FOUR Score), brain stem reflexes and respiration to define imminent brain death. Further we discussed criteria to determine irreversibility and futility in acute neurological conditions. RESULTS: A patient who fulfills the definition of imminent brain death is a mechanically ventilated deeply comatose patient, admitted to an ICU, with irreversible catastrophic brain damage of known origin. A condition of imminent brain death requires either a Glasgow Coma Score of 3 and the progressive absence of at least three out of six brain stem reflexes or a FOUR score of E(0)M(0)B(0)R(0). CONCLUSION: The definition of imminent brain death can be used as a point of departure for potential heart-beating organ donor recognition on the intensive care unit or retrospective medical chart analysis.