Changing demographics of heart donors: The impact of donor drug intoxication on posttransplant survival

Recent reports have shown an increase in the number of organ donors from drug intoxication. The impact of donor drug use on survival after cardiac transplant remains unclear. The aim of our study was to illustrate changes in donor death mechanisms and assess the impact on posttransplant survival. We queried United Network of Organ Sharing thoracic transplant and deceased donor databases to identify patients undergoing heart transplantation between 2005 and 2015. We evaluated annual trends in donor death mechanisms. Recipients were propensity matched (drug‐intoxicated—non‐drug‐intoxicated = 1:2) and posttransplant survival was compared using Kaplan‐Meier curves. In total, 19 384 donor hearts were used for transplant during the period (donor age 31.6 ± 11.8 years, 72% male). Use of drug‐intoxicated donors increased from 2% (2005) to 13% (2015) and decreased from blunt injury (40%‐30%) and intracranial hemorrhage (29%‐25%). After propensity matching, posttransplant survival of drug‐intoxicated donor hearts was 90%, 82%, and 76% at 1, 3, and 5 years, which was similar to non‐drug‐intoxicated. Heart transplants using drug‐intoxicated donors have significantly increased; however, they have not adversely affected posttransplant survival. Hearts from drug‐intoxicated donors should be carefully evaluated and considered for transplant. This article evaluates changes in the demographics of heart donors, utilization of hearts from drug‐intoxicated donors for transplantation, and the impact of donor drug intoxication on posttransplant survival.