Donor-reported barriers to living kidney donor follow-up

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https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ctr.14621?campaign=woletoc


ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Donor-reported barriers to living kidney donor follow-up
Babak J. Orandi, Rhiannon D. Reed, Haiyan Qu, Grace Owens, Sydney Brooks, A. Cozette Killian, Vineeta Kumar, Saulat S. Sheikh, Robert M. Cannon, Douglas J. Anderson, Cora E. Lewis, Jayme E. Locke … See fewer authors
First published: 19 February 2022 https://doi.org/10.1111/ctr.14621

Abstract
Background
Despite regulations mandating follow-up laboratory testing for living kidney donors, less than half of transplant centers are in compliance. We sought to understand barriers to follow-up testing from the donors’ perspective.
Methods
We surveyed our center's living kidney donors. Binary logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with follow-up testing completion.
Results
Of 185 living kidney donors, 110 (59.4%) participated. Among them, 82 (74.5%) completed 6-month laboratory testing, 76 (69.1%) completed 12-month testing, 68 (61.8%) completed both, and 21 (19.0%) completed neither. Six-month testing completion was strongly associated with 12-month testing completion (OR 9.74, 95%CI: 2.23-42.50; p = .002). Those who disagreed with the statements, “Getting labs checked wasn't a priority for me,” (OR for completing 6-month testing: 15.05, 95%CI: 3.70-61.18; p < .001; OR for completing 12-month testing: 5.85, 95%CI: 1.94-17.63; p = .002); and, “I forgot to get labs drawn [until I was reminded]” (OR for completing 6-month testing: 6.93, 95%CI: 1.59-30.08; p = .01; OR for completing 12-month testing: 6.55, 95%CI: 1.98-21.63; p = .002) were more likely to complete testing.
Conclusions
To our knowledge, this is the only study providing perspective on donor insights regarding the need for follow-up testing post donation. Interventions to influence living donor attitudes toward follow-up testing may improve follow-up.