Introduction Living kidney donation is considered the optimal treatment for patients with advanced kidney disease, but it carries risks for the donors. To assess these risks, data on donors' physical and mental health is needed. Material and methods The German Living Donor Registry collects medical and psychosocial data from 32 transplant centers. The analysis provides a representative overview of the demographics, pre-operative physical and mental health, and psychosocial situation of accepted living kidney donors in Germany, accounting for gender-specific differences. Results From January 2020 to January 2025, 1,237 individuals aged 54.5 ± 10 years (range: 20–83 years) were examined pre-operatively. Most donors were women (63%), 56% reported at least one pre-existing disease or medication, and 13.5% had an eGFR 80 ml/min. Compared to the general German population, donors showed a higher quality of life and fewer psychological impairments and fatigue symptoms. Risk factors for impaired mental quality of life and fatigue included psychosocial stress and lower resilience. Discussion Living kidney donors in Germany do not represent a completely healthy population, but have a high quality of life. Careful, standardized medical and psychosocial evaluation is needed to identify donations with high medical or psychosocial risk and to ensure comprehensive education to protect donors.
SUWELACK et al. (Wed,) studied this question.