An initiative to increase organ donor registration among persons with HIV

Solid organ transplantation (SOT) is considered standard of care for persons with HIV (PWH) and end-stage organ failure. 1 Haidar G Singh N The times, they are a-changing: HOPE for HIV-to-HIV organ transplantation. Transplantation. 2017; 101 (doi:10.1097/TP.0000000000001728): 1987-1995 Crossref PubMed Scopus (10) Google Scholar However, PWH experience higher waitlist mortality compared to HIV-uninfected individuals. Under the HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, it is acceptable to perform transplants using organs from deceased donors with HIV into recipients with HIV. 1 Haidar G Singh N The times, they are a-changing: HOPE for HIV-to-HIV organ transplantation. Transplantation. 2017; 101 (doi:10.1097/TP.0000000000001728): 1987-1995 Crossref PubMed Scopus (10) Google Scholar However, there remains a significant discrepancy between the supply and demand of organs for waitlisted PWH, 2 Razzak Chaudhary S Workeneh BT Montez-Rath ME Zolopa AR Klotman PE Winkelmayer WC Trends in the outcomes of end-stage renal disease secondary to human immunodeficiency virus-associated nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2015; 30 (doi:10.1093/ndt/gfv207): 1734-1740 Crossref PubMed Scopus (41) Google Scholar ,3 Richterman A Sawinski D Reese PP et al. An assessment of HIV-infected patients Dying in care for deceased organ donation in a United States urban center. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (doi:10.1111/ajt.13308): 2105-2116 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (42) Google Scholar which is exacerbated by the poor knowledge of HIV-to-HIV transplantation among PWH. In one survey, although approximately 80% of PWH were willing to be deceased donors and believed that donation would reduce stigma, only 24.6% knew about the HOPE Act, and only 21% were registered donors. 4 Nguyen AQ Anjum SK Halpern SE et al. Willingness to donate organs among people living with HIV. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2018; 79 (doi:10.1097/QAI.0000000000001760): e30-e36 Crossref Scopus (18) Google Scholar We sought to estimate the proportion of PWH who are registered organ donors at UPMC’s Ryan White-funded HIV clinic and increase donor registration among PWH. The project was approved by UPMC’s Quality Review Committee (#1756).