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Transplant Proc
. 2020 Jun 25;S0041-1345(20)32589-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2020.06.025. Online ahead of print.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Solid Organ Donation: The North Italy Transplant Program Experience
Antonino Cannav? 1 , Serena Maria Passamonti 2 , Daniela Martinuzzi 2 , Antonio Longobardi 2 , Andrea Fiorattini 2 , Nicoletta Margherita Troni 2 , Martha Helena Esposito 2 , Nicolina Dell'orefice 2 , Rosanna Torelli 2 , Tullia Maria De Feo 2
Affiliations
- PMID: 32709414
- DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2020.06.025
Abstract
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has unfavorably influenced solid organ donation activity.
Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on transplantation in the North Italy Transplant program (NITp).
Material and methods: This cross-sectional study included all consecutive potential deceased donors proposed in the NITp in 6 weeks after February 21, 2020 (period A) compared to all potential donors during the same time frame of the previous years (period B) and all potential donors 6 weeks before February 20, 2020 (period C).
Results: Fifty-eight deceased donors were proposed during period A, 95 were proposed during period B, and 128 were proposed during period C. After the evaluation process, 32 of 58 (55.2%), 60 of 95 (63.2%), and 79 of 128 (61.7%) donors were used for organ donation in periods A, B, and C, respectively (P value = .595). We observed a 47% donation reduction in period A compared to period B and a 60% reduction compared to period C. There was a reduction of 44% and 59% in transplantation comparing period A with period B and period C, respectively.
Conclusions: This study showed an important reduction of donations and transplants during the COVID-19 pandemic.