Highlights
- •There was a decrease in the probability of any organ placement for donors at age 70 compared to 69.
- •After a donor's 70th birthday there was a decrease in number of organs placed.
- •These findings represent a left digit bias in the evaluation of donor organs that restricts the supply of available organs.
Abstract
Background
Organs suitable for donation are a scarce resource and maximizing the use of available
organs is a priority. We aimed to determine whether there is a supply restricting
left digit bias in organs offered and accepted for donors entering a new decade of
age.
Methods
Potential deceased organ donors (n = 105,387) who had any organs offered for transplantation
from 2010 to 2019 Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data were analyzed.
Donors were identified 1 year before and after a decade altering birthday.
Results
At age 70 there was a 5.4% decrease in the probability of any organ placement compared
to 69 (95% CI 1.1–9.7). There was a decrease of 0.25 organs (95% CI 0.13–0.37) after
age 70.
Conclusions
There was a significant left digit bias in the acceptance of any organs for transplantation
at ages 60 and 70 as well as in the acceptance of a kidney at age 70.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 04, 2022
Accepted:
March 23,
2022
Received in revised form:
February 23,
2022
Received:
December 23,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
