Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2016 Aug;49(4):242-249. 10.5090/kjtcs.2016.49.4.242.

Twenty-Year Experience of Heart Transplantation: Early and Long-Term Results

• Lee JH
• Yeom SY
• Hwang HY
• Choi JW
• Cho HJ
• Lee HY
• Huh JH
• Kim KB

• KMID: 2348904
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5090/kjtcs.2016.49.4.242

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We evaluated early and long-term results after heart transplantation (HTPL).
METHODS
One hundred five consecutive patients (male:female=80:25) who underwent HTPL between 1994 and 2013 were enrolled. Based on the changes in immunosuppressive regimen, the study patients were divided into two groups. Early and long-term clinical outcomes were evaluated and compared between the patients who underwent HTPL before (group E, n=41) and after July 2009 (group L, n=64). The group L patients were older (p<0.001), had higher incidence of hypertension (p=0.001) and chronic kidney disease (p<0.001), and more frequently needed preoperative mechanical ventilation (p=0.027) and mechanical circulatory support (p=0.014) than the group E patients.
RESULTS
Overall operative mortality was 3.8%, and postoperative morbidities included acute kidney injury (n=31), respiratory complications (n=16), reoperation for bleeding (n=15) and wound complications (n=10). There were no significant differences in early results except acute kidney injury between group E and group L patients. Overall survival rates at 1, 5, and 10 years were 83.8%, 67.7%, and 54.9%, respectively, with no significant difference between the two patient groups. Rejection-free rates at 1 and 5 years were 63.0% and 59.7%, respectively; rates were significantly higher in group L than in group E (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Despite increased preoperative comorbidities, group L patients showed similar early and long-term outcomes and significantly higher rejection-free rates when compared with group E patients.

Keyword

Transplantation; Heart; Outcome assessment

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury
Comorbidity
Heart Transplantation*
Heart*
Hemorrhage
Humans
Hypertension
Incidence
Mortality
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
Reoperation
Respiration, Artificial
Survival Rate
Transplantation
Wounds and Injuries