Organ Transplant and High Kidney Discard Rates (Annotated Bibliography Sample)

Organ Transplant and High Kidney Discard Rates
Student's Name
Institutional Affiliation
Instructor
Date
Elhamahmi, D. A., Chaly Jr, T., Wei, G., & Hall, I. E. (2019). Kidney discard rates in the United States during American transplant congress meetings. Transplantation direct, 5(1).
This article sought to address the rates of discards and the time lags experienced in the case of graft function. The study also looked at allograft failure and the patient mortality rate resulting from transplants performed in ATC conferences period. In addition, the research problem addressed whether there is likely to be an increase in the number of discards and delayed graft function (DGF) rates during the conferences.
Summary of the Paper
The research determined the rate of kidney discard, graft failure, and mortality using national registry data from 31st Dec, 1999 to 31st Dec, 2015. The ATC rates for the mentioned periods were equated to those on similar weekdays in fourteen days before and after the ATC. The multivariable regression was employed to confirm the associations between the conference and its outcomes. The research found out that there was an increase in the rate of kidney discards during ATC, and an increment of five kidneys was registered every time the activities took place.
The Type of Method Used
The study used a quantitative method to confirm the hypothesis and the assumptions. The methodology employed provided generalizable facts about the research subject or topic. For data accessibility, the study utilized an observational approach by seeking information from the Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) data repository. The database included statistics about all donors and the number of wait-listed organ receivers from the United States. The study also used quantitative methods. This is because the sample size was relatively large, at 7,902 donors and 12,588 recipients. The results were analyzed by correlating details about the donors and recipients between two assessed groupings. This was done through the application of T-tests for quantitative variables as well as Fisher exact test if fit for classified variables. There was also a comparison between the Skewed variables and nonparametric tests. In addition, the study employed a correlation between the rates of the kidneys tossed away and ATC, DGF, and non-ATC categories using X'2 analyses. The goal was to determine whether the factors identified in the study were connected to kidney discard across the whole sample.
Data validity was tested with the help of "a robust standard error estimation" alongside the "log-link function." On the other hand, a binary distribution was employed for the dependent variable. Different approaches were used in the case of "the American Transplant Congress (ATC)," and donor's traits comprising "the kidney order donor risk index (KDRI) were considered." Afterward, "the Multivariable GEE" concept was applied to approximate ATC's independent impact through the control of the attributes. Besides, the number of incremental kidney rejects following the ATC was approximated with the help of the counterfactual framework. The approach determined the median variance in disposed kidneys recuperated in the ATC period and when the organs could have been improved in the non-ATC time. The research then applied a separate multivariable proportional dangers regression concept. The goal was to ascertain the possible autonomous ATC impacts on the time to allograft failure, patient fatality, and “death- censored allograft failure”
The Type of Data Collected
The information gathered in the research involves the analysis of the historical budget data. For collection purposes, the study obtained the data from the national registry database. The research also relied on the statistics from a group of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN). This was the primary source of information for the study. The research was able to come up with the rates of kidney discards, overtime graft function, and death statistics from the national registry data. The information retrieved was the data about the transplants done at ATC as from 31st December, 1999, to 30th December, 2015. It then compares the rates with those measured on similar days of the week during the fortnights before and after the ACT or the non-ATC meetings.
Assessment of the Conclusions for Ascertaining Soundness of the Data Presented by the Authors
The authors concluded that there was a rise in the number of kidneys thrown away whenever there are ATC meetings rated at 21%. The increments were estimated at five additional purchased kidneys not used and discarded every year. The conclusion is soundly based on the data presented. The probability of discarding a kidney during the ATC conference was P=0.002. Comparatively, the chances of disposing a kidney during non-ATC were P=0.006. The result is derived after finding out that the total kidney purchased for use on both occasions was 15,285. Out of the number procured, 2,666 organs were not used. During the ATC, 19% (582 kidneys) were thrown away.
On the other hand, throughout the non-ATC period, which has a longer time frame than the ATC, the percentage of kidneys discarded stood at 17%, representing 2,084 organs. Therefore, the transplant organs disposed of during the conference period are high, just as concluded