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Epidemiological Study and Seropositivity in Viral Panel Testing Among Corneal Tissue Donors
Nemi Isabel Pérez Peña1, Luis Enrique Sanchez García1, José Manuel García Romero1
1Transplant and Donation Department, Regional General Hospital 1 of the Mexican Social Security Institute, Querétaro, MEX.
Insights
Corneal donation in Mexico is primarily from males aged 56, with cardiovascular issues being leading causes of death. A higher-than-average viral infection rate (8.6%) necessitates improved donor screening and public awareness to boost corneal transplantation rates.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Transplantation Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Corneal transplantation is vital for vision restoration, but tissue availability is limited by low donation rates, particularly in Mexico.
- Understanding corneal donor demographics and health characteristics is crucial for improving donation practices and addressing shortages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize cadaveric corneal donors in Mexico to identify factors influencing tissue availability.
- To analyze donor demographics, causes of death, comorbidities, and serological screening results.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study analyzed 185 corneal donor records from January 2022 to December 2023.
- Donors aged 2-85 with known causes of death were included; exclusions involved specific diseases and prior ocular surgeries.
- Serological testing for HIV, VDRL, COVID-19, HBV, and HCV was performed.
Main Results:
- The study included 185 donors (58.9% male) with a mean age of 56.34 years.
- Leading causes of death were cardiogenic shock (18.4%), hypovolemic shock (16.8%), and acute respiratory failure (16.2%).
- A significant 8.6% of donors were excluded due to positive viral serological tests, including 3.8% for HIV and 3.8% for SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusions:
- The typical corneal donor is male, around 56 years old, with cardiovascular or respiratory failure as the cause of death.
- The elevated seropositivity rate (8.6%) highlights a need for enhanced health interventions and donor screening protocols.
- Improving donation coordination and public awareness is essential to bridge the gap in corneal donation rates.
Background:
Corneal tissue is a critical component for vision restoration through transplantation, yet the availability of suitable corneal tissue is limited. This limitation results in long waiting lists and high demand, especially in countries with lower donation rates compared to global benchmarks. In Mexico, the corneal donation rate remains significantly behind other Latin American countries and leading nations such as Spain. Understanding the characteristics of corneal tissue donors is essential for improving donation practices and addressing the shortage of available tissues.
Materials And Methods:
This descriptive retrospective study analyzed electronic medical records of cadaveric corneal donors at the General Regional Hospital 1 of the Mexican Social Security Institute of Querétaro from January 2022 to December 2023. Donors were included based on criteria such as age (2-85 years) and known cause of death. Exclusion criteria included age outside the specified range, neoplastic diseases, active systemic infections, and prior ocular surgeries. Serological testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL), coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV was performed to assess viral reactivity. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 25 (Released 2017; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), summarizing data with descriptive statistics.
Results:
The study included 185 corneal donors with a mean age of 56.34 years. The majority were male (109; 58.9%), and the leading causes of death were cardiogenic shock (34; 18.4%), hypovolemic shock (31; 16.8%), and acute respiratory failure (30; 16.2%). Exclusion due to positive serological tests included seven donors (3.8%) for HIV and seven (3.8%) for SARS-CoV-2. A total of 16 donors (8.6%) were excluded due to positive results in the viral serological panel. The most common comorbidities were chronic kidney disease (36; 19.5%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (28; 15.1%), and systemic hypertension (31; 16.8%).
Conclusions:
The study highlights a predominantly male donor profile with a mean age of 56.34 years and emphasizes cardiogenic shock as a leading cause of death. The notably higher seropositivity rate of 8.6% for various viral infections compared to international reports indicates a need for improved health interventions and screening processes. The focus on cardiovascular and respiratory causes of death underscores regional health issues affecting donation patterns. To address the organ and tissue donation shortfall, it is crucial to enhance coordination within donation teams and increase public awareness, given the significant gap in donation rates compared to leading countries.
