title: Angiography of potential cardiac donors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This retrospective review of organ donor records was designed to evaluate the practice of donor angiography in one organ procurement organization and determine the outcomes of angiography and its impact on the timing of the organ donation process.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Concerns about transmission of atherosclerosis from donor to recipient have been heightened by the increasing prevalence of older donors. Guidelines that advocate the use of angiography in specific settings have been published, but no formal large-scale review has been performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the period January 1993 through June 1997, we reviewed all New England Organ Bank records of donors between the ages of 40 and 65 including any from whom at least one solid organ was procured. Data abstracted included the presence of risk factors, timing of the evaluation process and angiographic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coronary angiography was performed in 119 donors aged 40 and older; 64.7% of these hearts were transplanted. Thirty-eight hearts were transplanted from donors not subjected to angiography and outcomes were poorer compared with donors who underwent angiography. Advanced donor age was the only significant predictor of coronary artery disease. The duration of the procurement process was not prolonged by the performance of angiography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Donor coronary angiography does not complicate the donation process. Older donor age is the most powerful predictor of coronary artery disease and may explain prior observations of poorer outcome with older donor hearts. These factors should be considered when angiography is performed as part of the heart donor evaluation.
authors: Department of Medicine, St Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, USA. Hauptmpj@slu.edu
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Hauptman
authors: K J
authors: KJ
authors: O'Connor
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Wolf
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: McNeil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D016896:Treatment Outcome