Family Refusal of Heart Valve Donation.

Background: Impairment of the heart valves can occur due to many diseases that cause deterioration of the contractile function and harm the body, making it necessary for the heart valves to be transplanted. This study's objective was to analyze families' refusal to donate heart valves between 2001 and 2020.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in accordance with the Terms of Family Authorization for Donation of Organs and Tissues from patients diagnosed with brain death by an Organ Procurement Organization in the state of São Paulo. The variables analyzed were sex, age, cause of death, hospital type (private or public), and refusal to donate heart valves. Data analysis was performed using Stata software version 15.0  (StataCorp, LLC, College Station, Tex, United States) in a descriptive and inferential way.

Results: A total of 236 people (9.65%) refused to specifically donate heart valves of their relatives, the majority of whom were between 41 and 59 years old. Most potential donors had suffered a stroke and had been in a private hospital. From 2001 to 2009, there was a decreasing trend in males and the age group from 0 to 11 years old, whereas there was an increasing trend in those aged 60 years or older and in the general population. Between 2010 and 2020, there was a downward trend in the 41- to 59-year-old age group and the general population.

Conclusions: The specific refusal to donate heart valves was associated with age, diagnosis, and whether the institution was public or private.