Data sources and structure

This article discusses a rich resource of data used to describe all aspects of transplantation, from donor and recipient characteristics to immunosuppression medications. These data are used by the SRTR, the OPTN, and a wide variety of other researchers as the basis for reporting on the state of transplantation in the United States, as well as answering a wide array of research questions. They are the source for the figures and tables in the OPTN/SRTR Annual Report. They form the basis for reporting on both OPTN and SRTR web sites, providing medical professionals and patients alike with the answers to such critical questions as: How fast are waiting lists growing? Which center has experience serving patients like me? How quickly might I get an organ if I register at a different center, and are my prospects for survival after transplant there as good? Finally, these data form the basis for extensive analyses in support of policy-setting by the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Transplantation (ACOT), OPTN/UNOS committees, and other government and nongovernment requesters: Is a transplant candidate better off accepting an organ from a less-than-ideal candidate or staying on a waiting list? How do antigen matching rules affect racial distribution of organs, and how do they affect survival? What are the effects of allowing patients to be put on waiting lists at more than one transplant center? The many questions that may be asked of the transplantation data are to some degree controlled by how the data themselves are gathered and arranged.