OPTN/SRTR 2024 Annual Data Report: Deceased Organ Donation

Area of Science:

• Transplantation Science
• Public Health Data Analysis

Background:

• The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) provides critical data for organ donation and transplantation.
• Understanding trends in deceased donors and organ utilization is vital for improving transplant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on key metrics from the 2024 Annual Data Report, including deceased donor numbers, donor characteristics, and organ transplant data.
• To analyze changes in donor mechanisms of death and organ recovery for transplant and research.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR), which collects information from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
• Calculated variables including organs recovered per donor, organs transplanted per donor, and non-use rates.

Main Results:

• Deceased donors increased by 4.0% in 2024 compared to 2023, continuing a decade-long upward trend.
• Donor mechanisms of death shifted, with increases in drug intoxication and cardiovascular causes, and decreases in gunshot wounds, blunt injuries, and strokes.
• Total organs transplanted rose to 42,048 in 2024, with significant numbers of kidneys, livers, hearts, and lungs. Pancreata recovery for research also saw notable figures.

Conclusions:

• The organ donation and transplantation system continues to grow, with increasing donor numbers and organ transplants.
• Shifting donor demographics and causes of death necessitate ongoing adaptation in organ procurement and allocation strategies.
• Data from SRTR remains essential for monitoring and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of organ transplantation.