Orthotopic Heart Transplantation Outcomes Research Articles

Impact of institutional variables on centre performance in long-term survival after heart transplant.

The gold standard metric for centre-level performance in orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is 1-year post-OHT survival. However, it is unclear whether centre performance at 1 year is predictive of longer-term outcomes. This study evaluated factors impacting longer-term centre-level performance in OHT. Patients who underwent OHT in the USA between 2010 and 2021 were identified using the United Network of Organ Sharing data registry. The primary outcome was 5-year survival conditional on 1-year survival following OHT. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models assessed the impact of centre-level 1-year survival rates on 5-year survival rates. Mixed-effect models were used to evaluate between-centre variability in outcomes. Centre-level risk-adjusted 5-year mortality conditional on 1-year survival was not associated with centre-level 1-year survival rates [hazard ratio: 0.99 (0.97-1.01, P = 0.198)]. Predictors of 5-year mortality conditional on 1-year survival included black recipient race, pre-OHT serum creatinine, diabetes and donor age. In mixed-effect modelling, there was substantial variability between centres in 5-year mortality rates conditional on 1-year survival, a finding that persisted after controlling for recipient, donor and institutional factors (P < 0.001). In a crude analysis using Kaplan-Meier, the 5-year survival conditional on 1-year survival was: low volume: 86.5%, intermediate volume: 87.5%, high volume: 86.7% (log-rank P = 0.52). These measured variables only accounted for 21.4% of the between-centre variability in 5-year mortality conditional on 1-year survival. Centre-level risk-adjusted 1-year outcomes do not correlate with outcomes in the 1- to 5-year period following OHT. Further research is needed to determine what unmeasured centre-level factors contribute to longer-term outcomes in OHT.

CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AFTER ORTHOTOPIC HEART TRANSPLANT

Abstract BACKGROUND Limited data are available on outcomes of patients with pre-existing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who undergo orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) or develop de novo IBD post-OHT. We aimed to assess the incidence and disease outcomes of pre-existing and de novo IBD in OHT patients while evaluating the effect of IBD on OHT outcomes. METHODS A retrospective review of records was performed from a tri-site tertiary care system between July 2000 and July 2022. A total of 83 OHT receipients were concomitantly diagnosed with colitis of infectious or inflammatory etiology. Only patients with a diagnosis of IBD were included. Sub-analyses of the outcomes and immunosuppressive regimens of OHT recepients were done relative to those with pre-existing or de novo IBD. RESULTS A total of 8 OHT patients with concomitant IBD were identified. The median patient age (IQR) was 54 (23) with OHT and IBD onset at 50 (21.2) and 32.5 (15.7), respectively. Six patients were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 2 were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Five of the patients were female. All patients developed IBD within 11.5 (8) years within OHT. Only 1 patient developed de novo IBD 15 years after the first OHT and 7 years prior to a second OHT. OHT immunosuppressive regimens included a combination of tacrolimus (TAC) and prednisone (n=2), TAC and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (n=2), TAC, MMF, and sirolimus (n=2), TAC and sirolimus (n=1), and MMF with sirolimus (n=1). Therapy for pre-existing IBD included maintenance of 5-aminosalicylic (5-ASA) (n=3), escalation to vedolizumab (VD) (n=2), and discontinuation of IBD therapy (5-ASA and azathioprine) (n=3). De novo IBD consistent with UC (15 years post-OHT) was managed with 5-ASA (n=1). Six patients (including de novo IBD case) maintained clinical and endoscopic remission of IBD with no flares post-OHT while 2 patients (1 UC and 1 CD) with active disease flares responded clinically and endoscopically to VD escalation from 5-ASA and azathioprine. Among two UC patients with ileal J-pouch pre-OHT, 1 developed refractory pouchitis requiring diverting ileostomy (while on TAC and prednisone) with no pouchitis in the other (maintained on TAC and MMF). Good graft tolerance limited to mild acute cellular rejection episodes was noted in 6 patients, while multiple or no rejection episodes were noted in the remaining two. None of the patients developed CMV or MMF-induced colitis. One patient died due to progressive functional decline unrelated to graft failure or IBD. DISCUSSION The clinical course and treatment of IBD preceding OHT or de novo (though rare) is not significantly worsened or altered post-OHT. The majority of patients achieve clinical and endoscopic remission while on heart transplant-related immunosuppression. Biologic therapy escalation to VD resulted in clinical remission with no effect on graft tolerance. Table 1 Clinical outcomes of OHT patients with concomitant IBD

Donor Pericardial Interleukin and Apolipoprotein Levels May Predict the Outcome after Human Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

The proinflammatory cascade that is activated at the time of brain death plays a crucial role in organ procurement. Our aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the clinical outcome of orthotopic heart transplantation, as well as cytokine and apolipoprotein profiles of the pericardial fluid obtained at donation. Interleukin, adipokine and lipoprotein levels in the pericardial fluid, as well as clinical data of twenty donors after brain death, were investigated. Outcome variables included primary graft dysfunction, the need for posttransplantation mechanical cardiac support and International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grade ≥ 2R rejection. Hormone management and donor risk scores were also investigated. Lower levels of IL-6 were observed in primary graft dysfunction (median: 36.72 [IQR: 19.47-62.90] versus 183.67 [41.21-452.56]; p = 0.029) and in the need for mechanical cardiac support (44.12 [20.12-85.70] versus 247.13 [38.51-510.38]; p = 0.043). Rejection was associated with lower ApoAII (p = 0.021), ApoB100 (p = 0.032) and ApoM levels (p = 0.025). Lower adipsin levels were detected in those patients receiving desmopressin (p = 0.037); moreover, lower leptin levels were found in those patients receiving glucocorticoid therapy (p = 0.045), and higher T3 levels were found in those patients treated with L-thyroxine (p = 0.047) compared to those patients not receiving these hormone replacement therapies. IL-5 levels were significantly associated with UNOS-D score (p = 0.004), Heart Donor Score (HDS) and Adapted HDS (p < 0.001). The monitoring of immunological and metabolic changes in donors after brain death may help in the prediction of potential complications after heart transplantation, thus potentially optimizing donor heart allocation.

Recipient-surgeon racial concordance in orthotopic heart transplantation outcomes.

Prior studies have demonstrated deleterious outcomes for physician-patient racial discordance. We explored recipient-surgeon racial concordance and short-term postoperative survival in adults undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried to identify White and Black adult (≥18 years) patients undergoing isolated OHT between 2000 and 2020. Surgeon race was obtained from publicly available images. All non-White andnon-Black recipients and surgeons were excluded. Linear probability models were utilized to explore the relationship between recipient-surgeon racial concordance and 30-, 60-, and 90-day post-transplant mortality using a fixed effects approach. A total of 26,133 recipients were identified (mean age 52.79 years, 74.4% male) with 77.65% (n = 20,292) being White and 22.35% (n = 5841) being Black. A total of 662 White surgeons performed 25,946 (97.56%) OHTs during the study period while 17 Black surgeons performed 437 (1.67%) OHTs. Although some evidence of differences across groups was observed in cross-tabular specifications, these differences became insignificant after the inclusion of controls (i.e., comorbidities and fixed effects). This suggests that recipient race and physician race arenot correlated with post-OHT survival at 30, 60, or 90 days. Recipient-surgeon racial concordance and discordance among adults undergoing OHT donot appear to impact post-transplant survival. Nor do we observe significant penalties accruing for Black patients overall once controls are accounted for. Given that worse outcomes have historically been demonstrated for Black patients undergoing OHT, further work will be necessary to improve understanding of racial disparities for patients with end-stage heart failure.

The impact of changes in renal function during waitlist time on outcomes after heart transplantation.

This study evaluated the impact of changes in renal function during the waitlist period on posttransplant outcomes of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The United Network for Organ Sharing registry was used to identify adult patients undergoing isolated OHT from 2010 to 2020. Patients were stratified by whether their National Kidney Foundation chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage improved, worsened, or remained unchanged between listing and transplantation. Univariate analysis and multivariable Cox regression were conducted to determine whether a change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) or change in CKD stage predicted 1-year mortality after OHT. Of 22,746 patients, the majority of patients remained in the same CKD stage (59.6%), and the frequencies of patients progressing to improved (19.3%) and worsened (21.1%) CKD stages were similar. Temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) was associated with improved CKD stage and durable MCS with worsened CKD stage (p < .001). Post-OHT dialysis was most common in patients with worsened CKD stage (13.2%) and least common in the improved cohort (9.4%) (p < .001). Kaplan-Meier unadjusted 1-year survival rates after OHT were similar between CKD change groups (log-rank p = .197). Multivariable analysis demonstrated no risk-adjusted effect of change in eGFR (p = .113) or change in CKD stage (p = .076) on 1-year mortality after OHT. Approximately 20% of patients improve CKD stage and 20% worsen CKD stage between listing and OHT, with the remaining 60% having unchanged CKD stage. Worsening CKD stage predicts increased likelihood of post-OHT dialysis, but CKD stage change does not predict 1-year survival following OHT.

Association of donor hypertension and outcomes in orthotopic heart transplantation.

The present study examined the impact of donor hypertension on recipient survival and offer acceptance practices in the United States. This was a retrospective study of all patients undergoing OHT from 1995 to 2019 using the United Network for Organ Sharing and Potential Transplant Recipient file databases. Hypertensive donors were stratified by Short (0-5 years) and Prolonged (>5 years) hypertension. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze offer acceptance practices while Cox proportional-hazards models were used to compare mortality across groups. Of 38,338 heart transplants meeting study criteria, 5662 were procured from hypertensive donors (69% Short and 31% Prolonged). After adjustment, Prolonged donor hypertension was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio, HR, 1.31, 95% confidence interval, CI, 1.04-1.64), while recipients of Short donors experienced no decrement in post-transplant survival. Both Short and Prolonged hypertension were independently associated with decreased odds of offer acceptance (odds ratio, OR .92 95%CI: .88-.96 and OR .93 95%CI: .88-.99, respectively). While prolonged untreated hypertension in OHT donors is associated with a slight decrement in recipient survival, donors with ≤5 years of hypertension yielded similar outcomes. Donor hypertension was associated with reduced organ offer acceptance, highlighting a potential source of organ underutilization.

Outcomes of Orthotopic Heart Transplantation in the Setting of Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Replacement Therapy

Heart transplantation in the setting of renal insufficiency is controversial. The objective of this study was to perform a descriptive analysis of patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation and renal replacement therapy (RRT) due to acute kidney injury (AKI). An observational cohort study with retrospective data collection. A tertiary care hospital. Fifty-one patients underwent orthotopic heart transplantation with cardiogenic shock under inotrope dependence, with nine patients having preoperative RRT and 42 patients not having preoperative RRT. There were no interventions. Hospital mortality occurred in eight (15.6%) patients. Although there were no significant differences between the study groups (preoperative RRT 33.3% v controls 11.9%, p=0.1), this study was underpowered to detect differences in mortality. Dialysis also was required in 52.4% of patients who were not on preoperative RRT. All survivors had full recovery of kidney function with similar timing after transplant (18.5 days v 15 days, p=0.75). Actuarial survival was 82.4%, 76.5%, and 66.5% at six months, one year, and five years, respectively. A cold ischemic time greater than 180 minutes (hazard ratio [HR] 4.37 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.51-12.6; p=0.006) and pretransplant RRT (HR=7.19 95% CI 1.13-45.7; p=0.04) were independent predictors of long-term mortality. In a health system with limited funding and availability of mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation in the setting of AKI, RRT, and low Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support profile was associated with important hospital mortality. Among hospital survivors, however, all patients had full renal recovery and by 25 months there was no difference in mortality between those who required preoperative RRT and those who did not.

Duration of graft cold ischemia in long-term follow-up of orthotopic heart transplantation

Aim. To evaluate the effect of the duration of graft cold ischemia on the long-term prognosis of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Material and Methods . The study included 60 patients, who had receieved OHT in the Meshalkin National Medical Research Center since 2012. The influence of the duration of graft cold ischemia on the outcome of OHT in the long-term follow-up was evaluated. Survival, quality of life according to the SF-36 questionnaire, and parameters of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were assessed. Results. The duration of graft cold ischemia in the study group was 210 (175 – 340) minutes. The minimum duration time was 158 minutes; the maximum duration time was 430 minutes. Graft ischemia for more than 240 minutes was registered in 42% of cases. The survival rate was 87% in the long-term follow-up. Exercise capacity of patients corresponded to the level above average or high: peak oxygen consumption was 17 (14.7 – 21.0) mL/min/kg with a threshold load power of 100 (90 – 120) W. The levels of quality of life based on the SF-36 questionnaire scoring were 53 (50 – 55) points for the physical component of health and 52 (50 – 56) points for the psycho-emotional component of health. No significant associations of graft cold ischemia duration were found with the survival rate, quality of life, and CPET parameters. Conclusion. The duration of graft cold ischemia did not show any negative effect on the results of OHT in the long-term followup. The study group of recipients was characterized by high survival rate and high exercise capacity in the long-term follow-up after OHT.

Center-Level Variations in Maximum Recipient Body Mass Index in Heart Transplantation

This study explored center-level variations in maximum recipient body mass index (BMI) and the associated impact of morbid obesity on outcomes of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Using the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database, we examined adults (≥18 years) who underwent OHT between 2010 and 2018. Centers performing <10 OHTs per year were excluded. Recipients were stratified by BMI: <35, 35-38, 38 to 40, >40 kg/m2. Kaplan-Meier analysis was utilized to model survival and Cox regression analysis was utilized for adjusted analysis of 1-year mortality. A total of 17,821 candidates underwent OHT with 1,330 having a BMI >35kg/m2. Among 84 centers, a mean of 92.06% of recipients per center had a BMI<35 with 5.87%, 1.01%, and 1.06% of recipients having BMIs of 35 to 38, 38 to 40, and >40 at each center, respectively. A total of 5, 54, 17, and 8 centers had maximum recipient BMIs of <35, 35 to 38, 38 to 40, and >40 kg/m2, respectively. Centers performing OHT on recipients with higher BMIs displayed higher overall OHT volume (p = 0.002). Rates of post-transplant dialysis (p <0.001) and stroke (p = 0.008) were higher with increased BMI and length of stay was significantly longer (p <0.001). Following risk-adjustment, BMI 35 to 38 (HR 1.19) was not associated with increased risk of 1-year mortality although BMI 38 to 40 (HR 1.80, p = 0.007) and >40 (HR 2.85, p <0.001) were associated. In conclusion, most centers in the United States have a maximum recipient BMI of 35 to 38 for OHT, which appears justified as the risk of 1-year mortality increases with BMI >38.

Effect of Blood Product Transfusion on Perioperative Outcomes After Heart Transplantation

The objective of this study was to identify transfusion-related in-hospital outcomes in orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) recipients. Retrospective chart review. Tertiary care hospital. Adult OHT recipients undergoing transplantation between January 2010 and December 2016. None. The primary composite outcome was occurrence of any of the following events during admission for OHT: (1) graft dysfunction requiring mechanical circulatory support (MCS); (2) respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy; (3) renal failure requiring hemodialysis; (4) 30-day mortality; (5) complication requiring readmission to intensive care unit; (6) sepsis; and (7) stroke. The authors evaluated these outcomes in relation to all blood component transfusions received intraoperatively and in the first 24 hours postoperatively. The study included 197 patients and the primary composite outcome was present in 72 (36.6%). After adjusting for propensity score, red blood cell (RBC) transfusion was associated with composite outcomes (odds ratio [OR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.31, p = 0.004), postoperative MCS use (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.18-1.58, p < 0.001), acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis (OR 1.21, 5% CI 1.06-1.38, p = 0.004), and 30-day mortality (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.59, p = 0.02). Fresh frozen plasma was associated with composite outcome (OR 1.07, 95% CI [1.003-1.15], p = 0.042) and renal failure (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.08 [1.002-1.17], p = 0.04). Intra- and postoperative transfusions (first 24 hours) of RBC and FFP were associated with adverse postoperative composite outcomes in patients undergoing OHT.

Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Bridging to Heart Transplantation: Impact of the 2018 Allocation Change.

This study evaluates the impact of the 2018 allocation policy change on outcomes of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) in patients bridged with intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs). Adult (≥18 years) patients undergoing OHT between 2013 and 2019 who were bridged with an IABP were stratified based on temporal relation to the policy change. Univariate analysis was used to compare baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to estimate risk-adjusted predictors of post-transplant mortality. A total of 1342 (8.6%) OHT patients were bridged with an IABP during the study period. Rates of bridging with IABP to OHT increased significantly after the policy change (7.0% versus 24.9%, P<0.001). The mean recipient age was 54.1±12.1 years with 981 (73.1%) patients being male. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups whereas post-policy change patients spent fewer days on the waitlist (15 versus 35 days, P<0.001), had longer ischemic times (3.5 versus 3.0 hours, P<0.001), and received organs from a greater distance (301 versus 105 miles, P<0.001). By multivariable analysis, days on the waitlist (for every 30 days; odds ratio, 1.01 [95% CI, 1.00-1.02], P=0.031) and diabetes mellitus (odds ratio, 1.87 [95% CI, 1.16-3.02], P=0.011) emerged as significant predictors of post-transplant mortality. After the policy change, waitlisted patients requiring IABP support were more likely to survive to transplant (76.4 versus 89.8%, P<0.001). IABP utilization has increased over 3-fold since the 2018 policy change with improved waitlist outcomes and comparable post-OHT survival. Thus, bridging patients to OHT with IABPs appears to be an effective strategy in the current era.

Sex-Based Heart Transplant Outcomes After Bridging With Centrifugal Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Prior studies demonstrated that female sex is associated with an increased mortality after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The impact of sex on OHT outcomes after bridging with newer-generation durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) remains unclear. The United Network for Organ Sharing database was queried to study OHT recipients bridged with a newer-generation LVAD (ie, HeartMate III or HeartWare) between 2010 and 2018. The primary outcome was mortality at 30 and 90-days and 1-year. Secondary outcomes included rates of posttransplant complications. Propensity score matching and Cox multivariable analysis were used to assess comorbidity-adjusted sex differences in outcomes. A total of 3010 patients (76.7% male) bridged with newer-generation LVADs underwent OHT. After adjusting for relevant covariates, both age and heart failure etiology, but not sex, were independent predictors of mortality. In the matched cohorts, sex did not affect posttransplant outcomes, including renal failure, cerebrovascular events, allograft rejection, functional status, or mortality (all P > .05). Survival at 1-year after OHT was 90.5% in males and 92.8% in females (P= .058). Among 3010 OHT recipients, matched females bridged with newer-generation HeartWare or HeartMate III LVADs have comparable posttransplant outcomes compared with males. Furthermore, survival at 1-year follow-up was not affected by sex; instead, it was driven by well-established risk factors including increased age, worse preoperative renal function, and heart failure etiology. These data suggest that considerable progress has been made in mitigating sex differences in heart failure outcomes in the modern era.

Contemporary Sex-Based Outcomes after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation for Patients Bridged with Newer Generation Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Prior work has shown that female sex is associated with a significantly increased risk of death after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The impact of sex on outcomes of OHT following bridging with newer generation durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is less established. This study evaluated sex-based differences in OHT outcomes in recipients bridged with a HeartMate III (HM3) or HeartWare (HVAD) LVAD. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database was queried to study OHT recipients bridged with a newer generation (HM3 or HVAD) LVAD between 2010 and 2018. The primary outcome was mortality at 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes included rates of posttransplant complications. Propensity score matching was utilized to adjust for residual bias among male and female recipients. Cox multivariable analysis was employed to determine independent predictors of the primary outcomes of death at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year following OHT. A total of 3,010 patients (76.7% male) bridged with newer generation LVADs underwent OHT. Male patients were significantly older (53.0 vs 49.7 years, p<0.001) and had more comorbidities. Males were also more likely to require dialysis post-transplant (13.6% vs 9%, p<0.001). After adjusting for relevant covariates, both age and heart failure etiology, but not sex, were independent predictors of mortality at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year. Propensity matching resulted in a well-matched subset of 656 patients. In the matched cohorts, sex did not impact post-transplant outcomes, including renal failure, cerebrovascular events, allograft rejection, functional status, or mortality (all p>0.05). Survival at 1 year after OHT was 94.6% in males and 96.9% in females for patients bridged with newer generation LVADs (p=0.45). In our study of 3,010 OHT recipients, we found that matched females bridged with newer generation HVAD or HM3 LVADs have comparable post-transplant outcomes. Furthermore, survival at 1-year follow-up was not impacted by sex and instead was driven by well-established risk factors including increasing age, worse pre-operative renal function, and heart failure etiology. These data suggest considerable progress in mitigating sex differences in heart failure outcomes in the modern era.

Artificial Intelligence Helps Predict 5-year Mortality and Graft Failure in Patients Undergoing Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is a life-saving procedure for advanced end-stage heart failure patients. Given the conservative allocation policy and mismatch of donors and wait-listed patients, the prediction of post OHT outcomes including survival and graft failure (GF) can help optimize organ allocation. We aimed to develop a risk prediction model using machine learning algorithm to predict survival and GF 5 years after OHT. Using International society of heart and lung transplant (ISHLT) registry data, we retrospectively analyzed 15236 patients who underwent OHT from January 2005 through December 2009. 342 variables including pre/ post OHT, discharge and follow up information were extracted and used to develop a risk prediction model utilizing a gradient boosted classification tree algorithm (GBM) to predict the risk of graft failure and mortality 5 yrs. after hospital discharge. Variables with missing observations were handled internally by the GBM algorithm. A 10 fold cross-validation repeated 5 times was used to estimate the model's external performance. Receiver operator curve (ROC) for GBM model was calculated to predict survival and GF 5 years post OHT. The mean duration of follow up of 4.7 years (median 5 years). The mortality and graft failure 5 years post- OHT was 27.3% (n = 4161) & 28 %( n=4276) respectively. The area under ROC (AUC) to predict 5 yr. mortality and GF are 0.717 (95% CI 0.696- 0.737) & 0.661 (95% CI 0.640-0.683) respectively. Length of stay, recipient and donor age, recipient body mass index and ischemic time had the highest weight in predicting 5-year mortality and graft failure. The subgroup of patients with age>60yrs had a higher AUC for both the models. The GBM model has an excellent accuracy in predicting 5 yr.-mortality and graft failure in patients undergoing OHT.

Management of pediatric cardiac transplantation candidates with pulmonary hypertension and high pulmonary vascular resistance.

Right ventricular failure is an important cause of mortality and morbidity after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The right ventricle of the donor may fail to accommodate to the high pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) of the recipient. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to chronic heart failure with PVRi > 4 Wood units.m2, transpulmonary gradient > 15 mmHg adversely affect the outcome of OHT. In this study we aimed to evaluate management strategies in our pediatric cardiac transplantation candidates with PH and high PVR prior to OHT. Twenty-six cardiac transplantation candidates (age: 10.2 ± 4.6, 1-17 years) underwent cardiac catheterization for the determination of PVR and pulmonary arterial pressure. They were admitted to the hospital and received 1-3 days of intravenous (IV) vasodilator therapy; 0.5-3 μg/kg/min nitroglyserin and/or 0.5-3 μg/kg/min nitroprusside, 5-15 μg/kg/min dobutamin and/or dopamin to keep systolic blood pressure above 80 mmHg. Thirteen patients had dilated cardiomyopathy (CMP), 11 had restrictive CMP, one had hypertrophic CMP and one had congenital heart disease (CHD). Nineteen of the 26 patients underwent OHT. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure of the patients ranged between 11 and 82 mmHg (30.4 ± 16 mmHg) and PVRi between 0.41-21.4 Wood units.m2 (5.3 ± 5.7). Nine patients had PVRi above 4 Wood units.m < sup > 2 < /sup > . Six of these patients had IV treatment for longer than three days and some received specific anti-PH treatment. Eventually they underwent a pulmonary vasoreactivity test with IV iloprost and six had PVRi < 4 Wood units.m < sup > 2 < /sup > . Five of them underwent OHT. Cardiac transplantation candidates with PH and high PVR should be evaluated after conditioning with vasodilator and inotropic treatment. Specific treatment for PH and vasoreactivity testing may help selected patients reenter the transplantation list.

Outcomes of orthotopic heart transplantation and left ventricular assist device in patients aged 65 years or more with end-stage heart failure

Age has traditionally been a limiting factor for advanced heart failure (HF) therapies. Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) age guidelines have become less restrictive, and left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly utilized as destination therapy for patients ≥65 years. Although indications differ, we assessed outcomes for both modalities in this older population. We reviewed charts of consecutive advanced HF therapy recipients aged ≥65 years at our center from 2012 to 2016. Of 118 patients evaluated, 46 (39%) received an LVAD and 72 (61%) received OHT. Gender, body mass index, and rate of prior sternotomy were similar between groups; OHT recipients were younger, less likely to have diabetes mellitus, and more likely to have HF due to ischemic etiology. Forty-six percent of patients receiving LVADs were urgent need (Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support [INTERMACS] profile 1–2), compared to 29% of patients receiving OHT (United Network for Organ Sharing 1A criteria; P = 0.068). OHT recipients had shorter lengths of stay and better 1-year survival compared to LVAD recipients. Although many centers do not offer advanced HF therapy to patients aged ≥65 years, our results indicate that age alone should not be prohibitive for advanced HF therapy, particularly OHT.

Impact of Donor Obesity on Outcomes After Orthotopic Heart Transplantation.

BackgroundThe impact of donor obesity on the outcome of orthotopic heart transplantation has not been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of donor obesity on the outcomes of adult orthotopic heart transplantation recipients.Methods and ResultsData were obtained from the United Network for Organ Sharing database. All adult (age ≥18 years) patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation from 2000 through 2016 were included (n=31 920). We stratified the cohort by donor body mass index (BMI); 13 015 patients (40.8%) received a heart from a normal‐weight donor (BMI 18.5–24.9), 11 271 patients (35.3%) received a heart from an overweight donor (BMI 25.0–29.9), 4910 patients (15.4%) received a heart from an obese donor (BMI 30.0–34.9), and 2724 patients (8.5%) received a heart from an extremely obese donor (BMI ≥35). The cohort of obese donors was older, included a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus, and had a higher creatinine. Our data also showed that the recipients of obese donor grafts were older, had a higher BMI, creatinine, percentage of diabetes mellitus, and longer total waiting period. There was no significant difference detected in the survival likelihood (P=0.08) of patients based on a donor's BMI‐based categorized cohort. There were no significant differences found in the overall survival probability among 4 groups in the adjusted survival analyses (P=0.25).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that patients receiving higher BMI donor hearts might not be subjected to an increased risk of death, at least during the short term after transplant, compared with those using the normal‐weight donors.

Trends and outcomes of cardiac transplantation from donors dying of drug intoxication

BackgroundDeaths from drug intoxication have increased in the United States but outcomes of recipients of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) from these donors are not well characterized. MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing's STAR database between January 2000 and March 2014 and assessed mortality and retransplantation using adjusted Cox models by mechanism of donor death. ResultsOf the 31,660 OHTs from 2000 to 2014, 1233 (3.9%) were from drug intoxication. These donors were more likely to be female, white, with greater tobacco use and higher BMI compared to donors who died of other mechanisms. Drug intoxication accounted for 1.1% of OHT donors in 2000 and 6.2% in March 2014. No significant difference was observed in 10-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99, 0.87-1.13), 10-year retransplantation (adjusted HR 0.84, 0.49-1.41) or 1-year and 3-year rehospitalization with other mechanisms of death compared to drug intoxication. ConclusionThere has been a large increase in OHT donors who die of drug intoxication in the United States. OHT outcomes from these donors are similar to those dying from other mechanisms. These data have important implications for donor selection in context of the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Elevated donor hemoglobin A1c does not impair early survival in cardiac transplant recipients.

Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is the gold-standard therapy for end-stage heart failure. An increasing deficit between suitable allograft availability and clinical demand for OHT exists. The role of donor diabetes mellitus (DM) on post-transplant recipient outcomes in OHT is controversial. The purpose of this study was to examine donor hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels to identify the impact of donor glycemic control on recipient survival. Adult OHT recipients with donor HbA1c data were identified in the UNOS database from 2010 to 2015. Recipients were stratified on the basis of donor glycemic status: Hyperglycemic-donor and euglycemic-donor cohorts were defined as HbA1c levels ≥6.5% and <6.5%, respectively. Outcomes were compared between unadjusted and propensity-matched hyperglycemic versus euglycemic donors. Primary end point was three-year survival. Of 5342 OHT recipients, 208 (3.89%) received an allograft from a hyperglycemic donor and 5134 (96.1%) received an allograft from a euglycemic donor. There was no significant difference in survival in the hyperglycemic group before (P=.87) or after (P=.78) propensity matching. No difference in four-year survival was noted in recipients who received allografts from hyperglycemic donors. These results suggest that recent cumulative donor glycemic status alone may not be an important predictor of recipient outcomes.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Myocarditis Listed for Heart Transplantation.

Myocarditis can cause dilated cardiomyopathy resulting in end-stage heart failure requiring advanced therapies. There is little contemporary information on the clinical progression, need for mechanical circulatory support, and outcomes of orthotopic heart transplantation of these patients. We queried the UNOS database (United Network for Organ Sharing) for all adults listed for orthotopic heart transplantation (2000-2015) with a listed diagnosis of myocarditis. Comparative and survival analyses were performed. Of 45 941 adults listed for orthotopic heart transplantation during this period, we identified 299 patients (0.7%) with the diagnosis of myocarditis. Compared with patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) and ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), myocarditis patients were younger (myocarditis 43.4±14.2 years, NICM 49.8±12.4 years, and ICM 57.5±8.0 years; P<0.001) and more frequently listed as status 1A (myocarditis 44% versus NICM 21% versus ICM 21%; P<0.001), with significantly higher need for mechanical ventilation (myocarditis 11% versus NICM 2% versus ICM 4%; P<0.001), biventricular mechanical circulatory support (myocarditis 19% versus NICM 2%, versus ICM 2%; P<0.001), and extracoroporeal membrane oxygenation (myocarditis 5% versus NICM 0.4% versus ICM 1%; P<0.001). Additionally, patients with myocarditis had higher likelihood of delisting for clinical improvement (hazard ratio, 2.49 [95% confidence interval, 1.63-3.79] versus ICM and hazard ratio, 2.12 [95% confidence interval, 1.40-3.22] versus NICM; P<0.001). Despite higher allosensitization, patients with myocarditis had similar post-transplant rejection, retransplantation, and survival rates compared with other groups. Patients with the diagnosis of myocarditis listed for orthotopic heart transplantation are younger, sicker, and recover more frequently but require more biventricular mechanical circulatory support. Heart transplantation survival is comparable to that of patients with other types of heart failure.