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Consent rates on organ donation: Are there discrepancies between representative surveys and the clinical situatio

Conditions
Brain Death
Registration Number
DRKS00027854
Lead Sponsor
niversitätsklinikum MünsterKlinik für Anästhesiologie, operative Intensivmedizin und Schmerztherapie
Brief Summary

In the period under observation, a total of 300 potential deceased organ donors aged 60±20 years (mean with standard deviations) were identified—148 women and 152 men. In 10 cases, it was not possible to reach a decision-maker, and in one case the approval of the public prosecutor was not given. This meant that 289 cases were available for the further analysis. Consent to organ donation was given in 110 cases (38%). Of 43 persons with an advance directive, 30 consented, and among the remaining 246 cases (without advance directive), 80 consented. The advance directive was therefore associated with a significantly higher consent rate (70%). If the patient’s will was expressed in writing or verbally, the consent rate was also higher (49%) than if the patient’s will was unknown (33%), although this effect was no longer significant after Bonferroni correction. If relatives had to decide on the basis of their own values, the consent rate was 10% and was significantly lower than for other decision bases (46%) (Figure). The consent rate was higher for male potential deceased organ donors—42%—than for female ones (31.1%), but this difference did not reach significance (p=0.32).

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
Complete
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
300
Inclusion Criteria

Patients treated in intensive care with primary and/or secondary brain damage and expected, suspected or already occurred irreversible loss of brain function.

Exclusion Criteria

none

Study & Design

Study Type
observational
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Consent on organ donation after brain death
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Realised organ donations after consent
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