Research priority setting in organ transplantation: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Research
• Health Services Research
• Patient Engagement

Background:

• Barriers to organ transplantation access and long-term complications persist.
• Research priority setting requires patient engagement to enhance relevance and impact.
• Solid organ transplantation research priorities have been identified across various domains.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate research priority setting in solid organ transplantation.
• To describe stakeholder-identified research priorities.
• To assess the extent of patient involvement in priority-setting initiatives.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 28 studies (2071 participants) published up to October 2016.
• Descriptive synthesis of research priorities identified through various methods (e.g., Delphi, surveys, workshops).
• Analysis of research areas including organ donation, waitlisting, immunology, complications, and disparities.

Main Results:

• 336 research priorities were identified across kidney, heart, liver, lung, and pancreas transplantation.
• Key priority areas included recipient complications, psychosocial/lifestyle factors, and graft-related issues.
• Only 32% of initiatives involved patients/caregivers, with limited process details.

Conclusions:

• Explicit research priority setting with patient involvement is essential.
• Patient engagement can align research investments with shared priorities of patients and health professionals.
• Future efforts should prioritize robust patient and caregiver involvement in transplantation research agenda setting.