title: The attitude toward xenocorneal transplantation in wait-listed subjects for corneal transplantation in Korea.
abstract: Shortage of donor cornea is a significant problem in Asia, and xenocorneal transplantation is being actively studied to alleviate this problem. However, the attitudes of subjects who await corneal transplants toward xenocorneal transplantation are not known at all. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the attitudes of subjects on the waiting lists for corneal transplants, toward corneal xenotransplantation. A telephone questionnaire survey comprising six items was conducted in 132 subjects among the wait-listed individuals (n = 590) who were awaiting corneal transplantation or had undergone corneal transplantation at Seoul National University Hospital from July, 2003 to August, 2012. Among six inquiries, four questions were used to analyze attitudes toward corneal xenotransplantation. Each question pertained to (1) the acceptance of xenocorneal transplantation, (2) willingness to participate in clinical trials, (3) worries in xenocorneal transplantation, and (4) the concern of self-identity or social life after xenocorneal transplantation. To analyze demographic factors influencing the question, the subjects were arbitrarily divided into two groups: the young (age < 60 yr, n = 58) and the elderly (age ≥ 60 yr, n = 74) or the less-educated (n = 53) and the well-educated with high school diploma, college graduation, or higher education (n = 79). Collected demographic data were analyzed as influencing factors on each question using a chi-square and logistic regression tests. In this study, 42.4% of the subjects (n = 56) expressed favorable views on xenocorneal transplantation using porcine corneas to cure visual loss from corneal blindness. Among those subjects expressing favorable views (n = 56), the willingness to participate in clinical trials, knowing they and their spouses must undergo long-term surveillance, was 62.5% (n = 35). There were 76.5% of subjects (n = 101) expressing worries regarding xenocorneal transplantation, while 28.8% of subjects (n = 38) expressed their concerns about self-identity or social life after xenotransplantation. Younger subjects expressed more worry about xenotransplantation than elderly subjects. The well-educated expressed less concern over self-identity and social life than the less-educated. This survey among subjects who are wait-listed for corneal transplant or who have received a corneal transplant demonstrates that there is an interest in xenocorneal transplantation as an alternate procedure, although there are worries about the procedure that should be further explored in educational campaigns and future studies of the general population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea; Laboratory of Ocular Regenerative Medicine and Immunology, Seoul Artificial Eye Center, Seoul National University Hospital Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea; Xenotransplantation Research Center and Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Joo
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Hyuk Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Mee Kum
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Ryang
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Wee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001290:Attitude; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D056910:Republic of Korea; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014850:Waiting Lists
keywords: age; attitude; cornea; education; telephone survey; xenocorneal transplantation; xenotransplantation