Did you know that only one in three hearts offered for organ donation are actually transplanted?
Damage suffered during the death of the donor has a significant impact on the viability of the heart for transplantation, with the equation being simple – the more viable hearts available, the more patients able to go on and lead longer, healthier lives.
Thanks to a grant from The Hospital Research Foundation Group, Dr Warren Pavey, nurse Rebecca Hahn and the research team at Western Australia’s Fiona Stanley Hospital and the Heart and Lung Research Institute WA are investigating a new therapy that aims to reduce the damage hearts suffer during the death of the donor.
This project is exploring whether Ergothioneine – an amino acid commonly found in mushrooms and soya beans – has the potential to protect hearts that have either stopped beating or suffered stress during the donation process.
“The shortage of transplant organs, especially hearts, affects us uniquely here in WA due in large part to our isolation,” Dr Pavey said.
“Hearts may be seriously damaged by the process of removal from the donor and further damaged by the long duration of storage and transport needed.
“Ergothioneine (EGT), which is available and already in wide use, has been shown to improve outcomes following stroke and in eye disease and we wonder if it will also protect hearts?”
Hearts in stress are difficult to transplant and usually rejected by transplant centres, demonstrating a huge need for this work!
