%0 Journal Article %J J Clin Lab Anal %D 1991 %T Selection criteria for liver transplant donors %A Schroeder,T. J. %A Pesce,A. J. %A Ryckman,F. C. %A Tressler,T. P. %A Brunson,M. E. %A Pedersen,S. H. %A Tchervenkov,J. I. %A Penn,I. %A Alexander,J. W. %A Balistreri,W. F. %K *Tissue Donors %K Adolescent %K Adult %K Child %K Child, Preschool %K Female %K Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay %K Humans %K Infant %K Lidocaine / analogs & derivatives / blood / diagnostic use / metabolism %K Liver Function Tests %K Liver Transplantation / *standards %K Male %K Middle Aged %X As the number of successful liver transplants has increased, the demand for donors has outpaced the supply. Approximately 25% of patients die awaiting an appropriate donor. Current criteria for assessing potential donors need to be closely examined. Fifty-six potential donors were evaluated by our transplant team by utilizing standard liver function tests (LFT's)-SGOT, SGPT, bilirubin. Additionally, a lidocaine metabolism test was performed by giving a 1 mg/kg IV dose of lidocaine over 1 minute and measuring the accumulation of the major metabolite monoethylglycinxylidide (MEGX) at 15 minutes by fluorescent polarization immunoassay (Abbott Diagnostics, Abbott Park, IL). Previous work has suggested that a MEGX less than 50 ng/mL is associated with initial non-function. Thirty-four donors were transplanted (group I) and all had initial function (all MEGX values were greater than 50). Twenty-two donors (39%) were judged unacceptable (group II) by our transplant team and by outside centers based upon one of the following criteria: II A) elevated LFT's--8, 11 B) donor age--5, II C) donor instability--4, II D) no available recipient--3, II E) miscellaneous--2. Standard LFT's were not statistically different in the donors used and in those not used when excluding category II A. Six of seven donors excluded in group I had acceptable MEGX values indicating they may have been transplantable. Ten of 12 patients excluded in groups II B-D had normal LFT's and nine of 12 had acceptable MEGX values indicating they may have been transplantable also. In this era of organ shortage, a reevaluation of donor selection criteria utilizing new tests like MEGX may be necessary to meet the increased need. %B J Clin Lab Anal %V 5 %P 275 - 7 %N 4 %M 1890541