Hungary joined Eurotransplant International (ET) to improve the chance of transplantation
for Hungarian patients and patient outcomes, including access and graft and patient
survival. After 5 years of full membership, the evaluation of numbers and quality
indicators is possible.A comparison was made between 5 years prior to a preliminary
cooperation agreement (2007-2011) and 5 years after full ET membership (2014-2018).
During the 2 study periods, we analyzed numbers and circumstances of deceased organ
donors, multiorgan donors, donated organs, and transplantations in Hungary and development
of waiting lists along with international organ exchanges.The number of actual organ
donors increased by 22.09% (729 vs 890), an additional 823 organ removals represents
an increase of 42.71% (1927 vs 2750). There were 46.51% more transplants managed in
the selected periods (1561 vs 2287). The number of new patients on the waiting list
increased (2305 vs 3247; 40.87%). The mean kidney mismatch number decreased from 3.21
to 2.96.Joining ET has been an effective and efficient in terms of increasing access
to organs and the lives of patients on the Hungarian waiting list posttransplant.
It is also a benefit for patients with special needs because the number of organ transplants
is greater than the increased number of donors.
