To analyze the changes of clinical characteristics of organ donors at the time of referral, and to provide evidence for optimizing the clinical management strategies of organ donors.

The clinical data of 218 organ donors from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from 2016 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Indwelling venous catheter, pathogen infection, and internal environment parameters such as hemoglobin, serum albumin and serum sodium were compared during organ donor referral in different years, and vasoactive drug use in donors was assessed using the vasoactive-inotropic score(VIS). Compared the VIS of organ donors with different intravenous catheter at the time of referral.

Of the 218 organ donors, 185 were male and 33 were female, with an average age of (42±15) years. Thirty-five, 48, 50 and 85 cases of organ donation after citizen′s death were completed from 2016 to 2019, respectively. There were no significant differences in sex, age and blood group composition of organ donors in different years (P>0.05 for all). The use rates of superior vena cava catheters from 2016 to 2019 were 48.6%, 68.8%, 58.0% and 82.4%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=29.65, P<0.05). From 2016 to 2019, the VIS of organ donors at referral was (74±49), (51±43), (65±57) and (49±44) points, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (F=2.90, P<0.05); among them, the VIS of the superior vena cava catheter group was (34±27) points, which was lower than that of the inferior vena cava catheter group and the peripheral vena cava catheter group [(110±50) and (105±45) points], and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05 for all). The positive rate of pathogen culture in sputum samples was the highest, and the difference was statistically significant in different years (χ²=62.52, P<0.05). Hemoglobin, serum albumin and serum sodium were at abnormal levels during organ donor referral, and there were no significant differences in different years (P>0.05 for all).

The clinical management of organ donors before referral still needs to be improved. In addition to electrolyte imbalance, anemia and hypoproteinemia, the selection of venous access and infection prevention and control need to be paid more attention.