Cause of death in multiorgan donors and its relation to the function of transplanted kidneys.
BACKGROUND
Brain death is an important variable contributing to donor-specific kidney damage. Poor kidney performance posttransplantation may be related to the cause of death of the donor.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the influence of cause of death in multiorgan donors on the function of transplanted kidneys.


METHODS
Standard criteria for the brain stem death protocol were applied in 146 potential heart donors included in the study. Conventional supportive management consisted of mechanical ventilation to achieve normocapnia, rewarming, and fluid and electrolyte replacement. Dopamine infusion not exceeding 10 microg/kg/min and desaminovasopressin were titrated to predetermined mean arterial pressure (MAP). In renal allograft recipients (n = 232), kidney function was monitored using serial serum creatinine concentrations on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 30, and 90 posttransplantation. The relation between donor cause of death (injury, bleeding, or other cause) and recipient serum creatinine concentration was analyzed in the postoperative period.


RESULTS
Significantly greater serum creatinine concentrations were observed up to 14 days posttransplantation in recipients of a kidney from a donor who died of any cause other than injury. Recipients of a kidney from a donor who died of bleeding exhibited significantly greater serum creatinine concentrations at 30 days posttransplantation.


CONCLUSIONS
A cause of death other than injury or bleeding in a multiorgan donor is predictive of worse kidney graft function in the first 14 days posttransplantation. Intracranial bleeding in a multiorgan donor is predictive of worse kidney graft function in the early period posttransplantation.
Clinic of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Pomeranian Medical University, ul. Powstańców Wlkp 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland. zukowski@sci.pam.szczecin.pl
M
M
Zukowski
R
R
Bohatyrewicz
J
J
Biernawska
K
K
Kotfis
R
R
Knap
M
M
Zegan
M
M
Ostrowski
M
M
Brykczyński
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001926:Brain Death / Q000473:pathology; D002102:Cadaver; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014019:Tissue Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult