Understanding organ donation refusal in the next of kin: a fifteen-year retrospective study in ten thousand potential donors.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Refusal of organ donation is influenced by a range of interconnected factors spanning donor characteristics, family dynamics, and intensive care unit (ICU) practices. This study explores the impact of donor or centre-related variables on organ donation refusal rates in Italian ICUs, among potential donors without expressed will.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 12,930 potential donors registered in the North Italian Transplant Program registry from 01/01/2010 to 31/03/2025. A linear mixed-effects model was applied to account for donor characteristics (age, timing and cause of death, geographic origin) and ICU-level variability with refusal of organ donation.

Results

In multivariate analysis geographic origin was an independent predictor of

SUBMITTER: Marelli S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12513025 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature