Circulating Levels of Vitamins A, C, and E-Alpha in Organ Donors After the Neurologic Determination of Death

• Published in: Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) Calif.), 2024-12, Vol.34 (4), p.176-182
• Main Authors: Ream, Robert S., Li, Yi, Marklin, Gary F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; alpha-Tocopherol - blood; Ascorbic Acid - blood; Brain Death - blood; Cohort Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Tissue and Organ Procurement - statistics & numerical data; Tissue Donors - statistics & numerical data; Vitamin A - blood
• ISSN: 1526-9248; 2164-6708; 2164-6708
• DOI: 10.1177/15269248241288561

Introduction The antioxidant effects of vitamins may attenuate the oxidative stress on organs imposed by ischemia–reperfusion injury during the process of organ transplantation from brain-dead donors. Circulating levels of vitamins A, C, and E-α in donors after brain death and their relationships to donor demographics, management, organ utilization, and recipient outcomes are largely unknown. Methods An observational, prospective, cohort study of 84 consecutive brain-dead organ donors managed at a single organ procurement recovery center was conducted. Vitamin levels were drawn immediately prior to procurement. Results Levels of serum vitamins A and E-α and plasma vitamin C were below normal in 80%, 85%, and 92% of donors and deficient in 40%, 62%, and 63%, respectively. Vitamin C deficiency was associated with a longer time between death and specimen collection (P = .004). Death from head trauma and stroke were associated with lower levels of vitamin A than from anoxic causes (P = .003) and smokers had greater vitamin C deficiency (P = .03). During donor management, vitamin C deficiency was associated with longer vasopressor support (P = .03) and normal levels of vitamin E-α were associated with reaching a lower alanine transferase compared to those with subnormal levels (P