One threat, different answers: the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cornea donation and donor selection across Europe.
Br J Ophthalmol
; 106(3): 312-318, 2022 03.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-947816
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To assess to which extent the COVID-19 pandemic affected corneal transplantation by virtue of donor selection algorithms in different European countries.DESIGN:
Survey.SETTING:
110 eye banks in 26 European countries.PARTICIPANTS:
64 eye banks covering 95% of European corneal transplantation activity.INTERVENTIONS:
A questionnaire listing the number of corneas procured and distributed from February to May 2018-2020 was circulated to eye banks. MAIN OUTCOMEMEASURES:
The primary outcome was the number of corneal procurements. Additional outcomes were national algorithms for donor selection, classified according to their stringency (donors with COVID-19 history, suspected for COVID-19, asymptomatic, PCR testing) and the pandemic severity in each country. We calculated Spearman's correlation coefficient to determine, two by two, the relationship between the 3-month decline in eye banking activity (procurement), the stringency of donor selection algorithm and the grading of pandemic severity (cases and deaths). A partial correlation was run to determine the relationship between decline and stringency while controlling for pandemic severity.RESULTS:
Procurements decreased by 38%, 68% and 41%, respectively, in March, April and May 2020 compared with the mean of the previous 2 years, while grafts decreased, respectively, by 28%, 68% and 56% corresponding to 3866 untreated patients in 3 months. Significant disparities between countries and the decrease in activity correlated with stringency in donor selection independent of pandemic severity.CONCLUSIONS:
Our data demonstrate significant differences between countries regarding donor screening algorithms based on precautionary principles and, consequently, a decrease in the donor pool, already constrained by a long list of contraindications. Fundamental studies are needed to determine the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission by corneal transplantation and guide evidence-based recommendations for donor selection to justify their substantial medical and economic impact.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Tissue Donors
/
Cornea
/
Donor Selection
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Br J Ophthalmol
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Bjophthalmol-2020-317938
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