Roosevelt Bryant1, Raheel Rizwan2, Chet R Villa3, Farhan Zafar1, Dennis Wells4, Clifford Chin3, Angela Lorts3, David L Morales1. 1. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. 2. Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. Electronic address: raheel.rizwan@cchmc.com. 3. Division of Cardiology, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio. 4. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ventricular assist device (VAD) use as a bridge to transplant (BTT) for children with end-stage heart failure and congenital heart disease (CHD), although challenging, has increased, but its effect on posttransplant outcome is unknown. This study describes posttransplant outcomes of CHD patients BTT with a VAD. METHODS: All heart transplant recipients identified in United Network of Organ Sharing database from 2006 to 2015 (n = 21,865) were divided into four groups by those with (+) and without (-) a diagnosis of CHD and with (+) and without (-) VAD support at transplant: +CHD/+VAD, +CHD/-VAD, +VAD/-CHD, and -VAD/-CHD. Posttransplant survival of +CHD/+VAD was compared with +CHD/-VAD, -CHD/+VAD, and -CHD/-VAD in addition to pretransplant characteristics comparison between +CHD/+VAD and +CHD/-VAD. RESULTS: Of 1,871 patients (8.6%) with CHD, 1,348 (72%) were younger than 18 years old, and 143 (7.6%) were BTT with a VAD (+CHD/+VAD). At transplant, +CHD/+VAD compared with +CHD/-VAD were more likely to have worse functional status (<50%: 60% vs 46%, p = 0.004), infections (29% vs 14%, p < 0.001), to be sensitized (47% vs 30%, p < 0.001) and on ventilator support (20% vs 13%, p = 0.029) and dialysis (13% vs 2.5%, p < 0.001). Overall, 1-year (84% vs 87%) and 5-year (72% vs 75%) survival was similar for +CHD/+VAD and +CHD/-VAD (p = 0.694). Survival was also similar when +CHD/+VAD were compared with -CHD/+VAD (n = 7,363; p = 0.529) and -CHD/-VAD (n = 12,613; p = 0.097). CONCLUSIONS: Although more ill pretransplant, CHD patients BTT with a VAD have similar posttransplant survival compared with CHD patients without a VAD and with other non-CHD heart transplant patients. VAD support may mitigate certain risk factors for poor posttransplant outcomes in the challenging CHD cohort.
BACKGROUND: Ventricular assist device (VAD) use as a bridge to transplant (BTT) for children with end-stage heart failure and congenital heart disease (CHD), although challenging, has increased, but its effect on posttransplant outcome is unknown. This study describes posttransplant outcomes of CHD patientsBTT with a VAD. METHODS: All heart transplant recipients identified in United Network of Organ Sharing database from 2006 to 2015 (n = 21,865) were divided into four groups by those with (+) and without (-) a diagnosis of CHD and with (+) and without (-) VAD support at transplant: +CHD/+VAD, +CHD/-VAD, +VAD/-CHD, and -VAD/-CHD. Posttransplant survival of +CHD/+VAD was compared with +CHD/-VAD, -CHD/+VAD, and -CHD/-VAD in addition to pretransplant characteristics comparison between +CHD/+VAD and +CHD/-VAD. RESULTS: Of 1,871 patients (8.6%) with CHD, 1,348 (72%) were younger than 18 years old, and 143 (7.6%) were BTT with a VAD (+CHD/+VAD). At transplant, +CHD/+VAD compared with +CHD/-VAD were more likely to have worse functional status (<50%: 60% vs 46%, p = 0.004), infections (29% vs 14%, p < 0.001), to be sensitized (47% vs 30%, p < 0.001) and on ventilator support (20% vs 13%, p = 0.029) and dialysis (13% vs 2.5%, p < 0.001). Overall, 1-year (84% vs 87%) and 5-year (72% vs 75%) survival was similar for +CHD/+VAD and +CHD/-VAD (p = 0.694). Survival was also similar when +CHD/+VAD were compared with -CHD/+VAD (n = 7,363; p = 0.529) and -CHD/-VAD (n = 12,613; p = 0.097). CONCLUSIONS: Although more ill pretransplant, CHD patientsBTT with a VAD have similar posttransplant survival compared with CHD patients without a VAD and with other non-CHD heart transplant patients. VAD support may mitigate certain risk factors for poor posttransplant outcomes in the challenging CHD cohort.
Authors: Matteo Ponzoni; Anna C Frigo; Biagio Castaldi; Alessia Cerutti; Giovanni Di Salvo; Vladimiro L Vida; Massimo A Padalino Journal: Artif Organs Date: 2021-09-12 Impact factor: 2.663