Finding Living Donors on Social Media for Pediatric Kidney and Liver Transplant Candidates
1Surgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Aurora, CO, 2School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical, Aurora, CO, 3Center for Research in Outcomes for Children's Surgery, Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 4Section of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Digestive Health Institute, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, 5Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, 6Hepatology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO
Meeting: 2022 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: 1765
Keywords: Donation, Donors, unrelated, Living donor, Pediatric
Topic: Clinical Science » Liver » 58 - Liver: Living Donor Liver Transplant and Partial Grafts
Session Information
Session Name: Liver: Living Donor Liver Transplant and Partial Grafts
Session Type: Poster Abstract
Date: Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Session Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm
Presentation Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Hynes Halls C & D
*Purpose: Living donor kidney and liver transplantation are associated with superior outcomes in children. We hypothesized that social media can be a valuable tool to identify potential living donors. The aim of this study was to characterize social media use for this purpose among caregivers of pediatric transplant recipients and determine if social media use influences the number of living donation inquiries submitted for a particular transplant candidate.
*Methods: An online questionnaire was sent out to the primary caregivers of all pediatric (age < 18) kidney and liver transplant recipients transplanted or followed at our institution from February 2015 through August 2021. The primary outcome of interest was number of living donor inquiries submitted per recipient.
*Results: Out of 244 invitations, 55 (23%) primary caregivers completed the questionnaire. 18 (32%) caregivers reported using social media to look for a potential living donor for their child. 12 of the 18 caregivers found at least one potential living donor through social media. Data on the number of online living donation inquiries submitted were available for 52 of the recipients, for whom a total of 276 forms were submitted. 48 (17%) of the forms were completed by potential living donors identified through social media. 4 of these potential donors went on to donate, including one who started a living donor chain through the National Kidney Registry. Caregivers who used social media to look for living donors had an average of 12 (± 22) inquires for their child in comparison to 2 (± 3) for those who did not utilize social media (p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in proportion of directed donation or directed non-biologically related donation by social media use (p = 0.6 and 0.1, respectively).
*Conclusions: About a third of caregivers of pediatric kidney or liver transplant recipients utilized social media to identify potential living donors. Social media use for this purpose was associated with an increase in number of living donation inquiries and directly resulted in living donation in 4 cases, though it was ultimately not associated with an overall increase in living donation.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Yoeli D, Mathai S, Kaar J, Mata C, Feldman A, Bock M, Jackson W, Adams M. Finding Living Donors on Social Media for Pediatric Kidney and Liver Transplant Candidates [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2022; 22 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/finding-living-donors-on-social-media-for-pediatric-kidney-and-liver-transplant-candidates/. Accessed May 11, 2025.« Back to 2022 American Transplant Congress