Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30458762›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2018

Deceased organ donation activity and efficiency in Switzerland between 2008 and 2017: achievements and future challenges.

Julius Weiss, Andreas Elmer, Markus Béchir, Christian Brunner, Philippe Eckert, Susann Endermann, Renato Lenherr, Mathias Nebiker, Kai Tisljar, Christoph Haberthür and 2 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Potential for donation after circulatory death in Germany: a multicenter retrospective study at seven university hospitals.Transplant international : official journal of the European Society for Organ Transplantation · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Julius WeissSwisstransplant, the Swiss National Foundation for Organ Donation and Transplantation, Bern, Switzerland.
Andreas ElmerSwisstransplant, the Swiss National Foundation for Organ Donation and Transplantation, Bern, Switzerland.
Markus BéchirZentrum für Innere Medizin, Hirslanden Klinik Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
Christian BrunnerZentrum für Intensivmedizin, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern, Switzerland.
Philippe EckertService de Médecine Intensive Adulte et Centre des Brûlés, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland.
Susann EndermannKlinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensiv-, Rettungs- und Schmerzmedizin, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Renato LenherrChirurgische Intensivmedizin USZ, Universitätsspital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Mathias NebikerTransplantationszentrum, Direktion Medizin und Universitätsklinik für Intensivmedizin, Inselspital, Universitätsspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Kai TisljarMedizinische Intensivstation, Universitätsspital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Christoph HaberthürKlinik Hirslanden, Institut für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin, Zürich, Switzerland.
Franz F ImmerSwisstransplant, the Swiss National Foundation for Organ Donation and Transplantation, Bern, Switzerland. franz.immer@swisstransplant.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2921-4147
Comité National du Don d’Organes (CNDO)

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundVarious actions have been taken during the last decade to increase the number of organs from deceased donors available for transplantation in Switzerland. This study provides an overview on key figures of the Swiss deceased organ donation and transplant activity between 2008 and 2017. In addition, it puts the evolution of the Swiss donation program's efficiency in relation to the situation in the neighboring countries.

methodsThis study is an analysis of prospective registry data, covering the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2017. It includes all actual deceased organ donors (ADD) in Switzerland. Donor data were extracted from the Swiss Organ Allocation System. The "donor conversion index" (DCI) methodology and data was used for the comparison of donation program efficiency in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy and France.

resultsDuring the study period there were 1116 ADD in Switzerland. The number of ADD per year increased from 91 in 2008 to 145 in 2017 (+ 59%). The reintroduction of the donation after cardiocirculatory death (DCD) program in 2011 resulted in the growth of annual percentages of DCD donors, reaching a maximum of 27% in 2017. The total number of organs transplanted from ADD was 3763 (3.4 ± 1.5 transplants per donor on average). Of these, 48% were kidneys (n = 1814), 24% livers (n = 903), 12% lungs (n = 445), 9% hearts (n = 352) and 7% pancreata or pancreatic islets (n = 249). The donation program efficiency assessment showed an increase of the Swiss DCI from 1.6% in 2008 to 2.7% in 2017 (+ 69%). The most prominent efficiency growth was observed between 2012 and 2017. Even though Swiss donation efficiency increased during the study period, it remained below the DCI of the French and Austrian donation programs.

conclusionSwiss donation activity and efficiency grew during the last decade. The increased donation efficiency suggests that measures implemented so far were effective. The lower efficiency of the Swiss donation program, compared to the French and Austrian programs, may likely be explained by the lower consent rate in Switzerland. This issue should be addressed in order to achieve the goal of more organs available for transplantation.

Indexed as

AustriaBrain DeathEfficiency, OrganizationalFemaleForecastingFranceGermanyHeart ArrestHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedProgram EvaluationProspective StudiesRegistriesSwitzerlandDonation after brain death (DBD)Donation after cardiocirculatory death (DCD)Donor conversion index (DCI)Organ donationPublic healthSwitzerlandTransplantation

Identifiers

PMID30458762
PMCPMC6247533

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.