Under-Utilization of Donor Hearts in the Initial Era of the Heart Transplant Program in Korea

DOI Web Site PubMed 4 Citations 31 References
  • Cha Myung-Jin
    Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital
  • Lee Hae-Young
    Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital Seoul National University Hospital Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital
  • Cho Hyun-Jai
    Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital Seoul National University Hospital Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital
  • Hwang Ho Young
    Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital Seoul National University Hospital Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital
  • Kim Ki-Bong
    Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital Seoul National University Hospital Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital
  • Oh Byung-Hee
    Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital Seoul National University Hospital Transplantation Center, Seoul National University Hospital

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • – Review of 13 Years’ Experience From the Korea National Registry –

Search this article

Description

Background: Heart transplantation (HTPL) is the effective treatment option to improve quality of life as well as survival of terminal heart failure patients. Shortage of donors, however, limits HTPL to all indicated cases. The temporal trend and clinical characteristics of HTPL donors in Korea were therefore investigated. Methods and Results: Among 2,001 brain-death donors registered in Korean Network for Organ Sharing from February 2000 to May 2012, a total of 28% of hearts (n=552) were utilized for HTPL. The mean age of Korean heart donors was 10 years younger than that of heart recipients (33.2±12 years vs. 43.2±17 years, respectively). The oldest was 56 years old, and donors aged over 50 accounted for only 6.2% (n=34) of total cases. Female donors were utilized less than male donors (23.6% vs. 29.6%, respectively). To determine characteristics of declined donor heart candidates, subgroup analysis of echocardiographic data was done, and 74.6% had normal ventricular function and structure, although only 42.3% were actually transplanted. The utilization rate of donor hearts with minor echocardiography abnormalities was only 15.2%. Clinical outcomes of marginal heart donors were not different from non-marginal donors. Conclusions: Although shortage of donor organs is an emerging issue, most donor hearts have been under-utilized in the past in Korea. In particular, aged and female donor hearts with minor echocardiographic abnormalities had a low rate of utilization.  (Circ J 2013; 77: 2056–2063)<br>

Journal

  • Circulation Journal

    Circulation Journal 77 (8), 2056-2063, 2013

    The Japanese Circulation Society

Citations (4)*help

See more

References(31)*help

See more

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top