Thyroid hormone therapy and procurement of livers from brain-dead donors

Hormonal therapy to brain-dead potential organ donors remains controversial. A retrospective study was carried out of hormonal therapy on procurement of organs in 63,593 donors in whom information on T-3/T-4 therapy was available. In 40,124 donors, T-3/T-4 and all other hormonal therapy was recorded. The percentages of all organs procured, except livers, were greater in T-3/T-4-treated donors. Nevertheless, if T-3/T-4 therapy had been administered to the donor, liver transplantation was associated with significantly increased graft and recipient survival at 1 month and 12 months. The potential reasons for the lack of effect of T-3/T-4 therapy on the number of livers procured are discussed.