Solid Organ Donation and Transplantation Activity in the Eurotransplant Area During the First Year of COVID-19

Abstract

Background. Transplantation activity during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was severely affected worldwide. This retrospective analysis aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on organ donations and transplantations in the Eurotransplant region during the first 12 mo of the pandemic. Specifically, we compared donor and transplantation numbers during both waves to determine whether transplant systems adapted to this new reality. Methods. All reported organ donations and transplantations from March 1, 2015, to February 28, 2021, were collected from the Eurotransplant International Foundation registry. The observation period from 2020 to 2021 was divided into three 4-mo periods, which were then compared with the corresponding periods of the preceding 5 y. COVID-19 cases for Eurotransplant countries were retrieved from the OurWorldInData.org database. Results. Overall, the number of organ donors decreased by 18.3% ( P < 0.0001) and the number of organ transplantations by 12.5% ( P > 0.0001) compared with previous years. Pancreas transplantation was the most affected, followed by kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplant. In detail, during period 1, the number of organ donors decreased by 26.2% ( P < 0.0001) and the number of organ transplantations by 16.5% ( P < 0.0001), in period 2 by 5.5% ( P < 0.0091) and 4.9% ( P < 0.0001), and in period 3 by 23.1% ( P < 0.0001) and 16.4% ( P < 0.0001), respectively. Conclusions. Organ donation and transplantation decreased drastically also during the second wave; however, despite the severity of the second wave, the decline was comparable with that of the first wave.

Transplant of organs from donors with positive SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleic acid testing: A report from the organ procurement and transplantation network ad hoc disease transmission advisory committee

“…In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread closure of many services across society, including deferral of semi-elective medical care and slowing of essential services such as solid organ transplantation (SOT). [1][2][3][4] Early in the pandemic, SOT recipients were noted to be at high risk of mortality from COVID-19 compared to the general population, 5,6 and excess deaths in SOT recipients tracked with waves of the pandemic. 7 Given this context of increased mortality risk and lack of effective treatments, early guidance documents recommended avoidance of donors with active COVID-19 or recently testing positive for SARS-CoV-2.…”

“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). In early 2020, the COVID‐19 pandemic resulted in widespread closure of many services across society, including deferral of semi‐elective medical care and slowing of essential services such as solid organ transplantation (SOT) 1–4 . Early in the pandemic, SOT recipients were noted to be at high risk of mortality from COVID‐19 compared to the general population, 5,6 and excess deaths in SOT recipients tracked with waves of the pandemic 7 .…”

Immunized Patients Face Reduced Access to Transplantation in the Eurotransplant Kidney Allocation System

“…This period was chosen as the median vPRA reported for immunized patients stabilized in 2016 ( Table S1 , SDC , http://links.lww.com/TP/C791), and coronavirus disease 2019 substantially reduced transplant activity in 2020. 7 Candidates waiting for a living transplantation and transplant candidates with additional priority in allocation (patients requiring combined transplantations, pediatric patients, and patients with high urgency bonus points) were not included. Our analyses use accrued dialysis time as the timescale, implying that the relative transplantation rate cannot be modeled when a patient is not on dialysis yet.…”

Organ Procurement, Donation, and Transplant Awareness in an Urban Eastern European Region: A General Population Survey

“…With 157 301 solid organ transplants performed worldwide in 2019, transplantation activity increased steadily before being severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic [ 4 , 5 ]. Between 2011 and 2019, the overall number of organ donors increased by 58.5% (from 25 776 to 40 858), with 78% brain-dead donors and 22% cardiac-activity donors [ 4 ].…”