Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation最新文献

Background: Exposure to air pollution post-lung transplant has been shown to decrease graft and patient survival. This study examines the impact of air pollution exposure in the first 3 months post-transplant on baseline (i.e., highest) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) achieved and development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD).

Methods: Double-lung transplant recipients (n = 82) were prospectively enrolled for comprehensive indoor and personal environmental monitoring at 6- and 12-week post transplant and followed for >4 years. Associations between clinical and exposure variables were investigated using an exposomics approach followed by analysis with a Cox proportional hazards model. Multivariable analyses were used to examine the impact of air pollution on baseline % predicted FEV₁ (defined as the average of the 2 highest values post transplant) and risk of CLAD.

Results: Multivariable analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between personal black carbon (BC) levels and baseline % FEV₁. The multivariable model indicated that patients with higher-than-median exposure to BC (>350 ng/m³) attained a baseline % FEV₁ that was 8.8% lower than those with lower-than-median BC exposure (p = 0.019). Cox proportional hazards model analysis revealed that patients with high personal BC exposure had a 2.4 times higher hazard risk for CLAD than patients with low BC exposure (p = 0.045).

Conclusions: Higher personal BC levels during the first 3 months post-transplant decrease baseline FEV₁ and double the risk of CLAD. Strategies to reduce BC exposure early following a lung transplant may help improve lung function and long-term outcomes.

Background: Patients have substantial variability in perioperative outcomes after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant. A perioperative multidimensional tool integrating mortality, adverse events (AEs), and patient-reported outcomes to assist in quality improvement initiatives is needed.

Methods: Patients undergoing HeartMate 3 LVAD implant (January 1, 2017 to January 31, 2024) in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons' Intermacs registry were studied. Cox proportional hazard multivariable analyses incorporating AEs as time-varying covariates for mortality out to 180 days was used to generate the INtermacs Short term composITE quality score (INSITE score derivation), reflecting the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for mortality contributed by each AE, applying the global ranking methodology. In those alive and on support at 6 months, multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio) was used to examine the impact of AEs on health-related quality of life (QOL) at 180 days, captured through the INSITE-QOL score. Failure to achieve ≥1 point increase in visual analog scale from baseline was the event.

Results: Of 13,148 patients, 4,389 (33.4%) suffered at least 1 AE or death through 180 days. Stroke (survival: HR 13.1; QOL: HR 1.7), dialysis (survival: HR 31.4; QOL: HR 4.2), prolonged respiratory failure (survival: HR 5.7; QOL: HR 2.3), reoperation (survival: HR 3.4; QOL: HR 1.6), and right heart failure (survival: 5.0; QOL: HR 1.4), contributed to both mortality and failure to improve QOL at 180 days (all p < 0.05). The median INSITE and INSITE-QOL scores were 0.0 [0.0, 1.6] and 0.0 [0.0, 0.0], respectively. At 9.4% (n = 17) of centers, a high INSITE score (≥13) was present in 15% of patients, while the top 25% of centers had perfect INSITE-QOL scores in at least 75% of patients.

Conclusions: AEs after LVAD confer differential impact on mortality and QOL, enabling the development of global rank outcome scores. Given the high mortality hazard conferred by 180-day AEs, center-specific quality interventions aimed at reducing early complications provide the greatest opportunity to improve long-term survival and QOL.

Lung transplant recipients (LTRs) are susceptible to severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and had lower immune responses to primary severe acute respiratory syndrome-related to coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination as compared to the general population and to other solid organ transplant recipients. As immunity induced by booster vaccination and natural infection has increased since the beginning of the pandemic in the general population, immunity acquired by LTRs is not well documented. Humoral and cellular immunity to SARS-CoV-2 was monitored in February and May 2023 in 30 LTRs and compared to that of health care workers (HCWs) and nursing home residents (NHRs). LTRs had significantly lower levels of SARS-CoV-2 binding and neutralizing antibodies and lower interferon-gamma responses to Wuhan, Delta, and XBB1.5 variants as compared to HCWs and NHRs. Humoral immunity decreased between the 2 visits, whereas cellular immunity remained more stable. The persistent defect in SARS-CoV-2 immunity in LTRs should encourage continued monitoring and preventive measures for this vulnerable population.

For smaller pediatric patients on ventricular assist devices, the Berlin Heart EXCOR remains the main form of durable support. It requires a connection to the external IKUS, which has limited portability and battery life. The new EXCOR Active mobile driving unit has a battery life of up to 13 hours. We describe the first North American experience with the EXCOR Active in pediatric patients with a Berlin Heart device. A retrospective chart review was undertaken. Between October 2022 and March 2024, 7 patients were on a Berlin Heart and supported with the EXCOR Active. All patients were initially supported with the IKUS with a median time to transition to the EXCOR Active of 12.0 days (interquartile range [IQR] 9.5, 18.5) and a median time of support with the EXCOR Active of 65.0 days (IQR, 32.0, 81.0). The EXCOR Active posed no significant safety issues, and minimal operating issues were noted. Following the transition from IKUS to the EXCOR Active, there was increased patient and caregiver mobility throughout the hospital. Use of the EXCOR Active has the potential to improve the quality of life in pediatric patients waiting for heart transplantation.

Background: Patients of advanced age are often considered to be poor candidates for heart transplant (HT). As the U.S. population continues to age, it is important for clinicians to understand how best to select patients for advanced therapies.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of the U.S. Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data from 2006 to August 2022 in adult recipients. Patients were excluded if they were multiorgan transplant, re-do transplants, or less than 1 year post transplant.

Results: Recipients ≥70 had a 1-year survival of 87.5%, compared to 91.1% for <60%, and 88.4% for 60-69 years (p < 0.001). Survival improved numerically, but not significantly, as transplant eras progressed for those ≥70 years. Survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was greatest at 5 years for <60 years (80.6%), compared to 60-69 years (78.2%) and ≥70 years (77.1%). When comparing 60-69 years to ≥70 years by this same metric, there was significant difference (p = 0.12). One year survival for those ≥70 years has improved from 2000-2009 (80.7%) to 88.5% since October 2018 (p < 0.001). As recipients increased in age, they were more likely to be male, and less likely to be Black or Hispanic/Latino (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Overall, HT outcomes are excellent for carefully selected patients ≥70 years, and transplanting patients in this age cohort can be considered.

Background: Utilization of temporary mechanical circulatory support, including veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to heart transplantation (HT) has increased significantly under the revised United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) donor heart allocation system. The revised heart allocation system aimed to lower waitlist times and mortality for the most critically ill patients requiring biventricular, nondischargeable, mechanical circulatory support. While previous reports have shown improved 1-year post-HT survival in the current era, 3-year survival and factors associated with mortality among bridge-to-transplant (BTT) extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients are not well described.

Methods: We queried the UNOS database for all adult (age ≥ 18 years) heart-only transplants performed between 2010 and 2019. Patients were stratified as either pre- (January 2010-September 2018; era 1) or post-allocation change (November 2018-December 2019; era 2) cohort based on their HT date. Baseline recipient characteristics and post-transplant outcomes were compared. A Cox regression analysis was performed to explore risk factors for 3-year mortality among BTT-ECMO patients in era 2. For each era, 3-year mortality was also compared between BTT ECMO patients and those transplanted without ECMO support.

Results: During the study period, 116 patients were BTT ECMO during era 1 and 154 patients during era 2. Baseline recipient characteristics were similar in both groups. Median age was 48 (36-58 interquartile range (IQR)) years in era 2, while it was 51 (27-58 IQR) years in era 1. The majority of BTT-ECMO patients were males in both era 2 and era 1 (77.7% vs 71.5%, p = 0.28). Median ECMO run times while listed for HT were significantly shorter (4 days vs 7 days, p < 0.001) in era 2. Waitlist mortality among BTT ECMO patients was also significantly lower in era 2 (6.3% vs 19.3%, p < 0.001). Post-HT survival at 6 months (94.2% vs 75.9%, p < 0.001), 1 year (90.3% vs 74.2%, p < 0.001), and 3 years (87% vs 66.4%, p < 0.001) was significantly improved in era 2 as compared to era 1. Graft failure at 1 year (10.3% vs 25.8%, p = 0.0006) and 3 years (13.6% vs 33.6%, p = 0.0001) was also significantly lower in era 2 compared to era 1. Three-year survival among BTT ECMO patients in era 2 was similar to that of patients transplanted in era 2 without ECMO support (87% vs 85.7%, p = 0.75). In multivariable analysis of BTT-ECMO patients in era 2, every 1 kg/m² increase in body mass index was associated with higher mortality at 3 years (hazard ratio (HR) 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.15, p = 0.006). Similarly, both post-HT stroke (HR 5.58, 95% CI 2.57-12.14, p < 0.001) and post-HT renal failure requiring hemodialysis (HR 4.36, 95% CI 2.43-7.82, p < 0.001) were also associated with 3-year mortality.

Conclusions: Three years post-HT survival in patients brid

Background: Cardiac hybrid positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has become a valid screening modality for cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) following heart transplantation (HT). Visually estimated coronary artery calcium (VECAC) can be quantified from CT images obtained as part of PET/CT and has been shown to be associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in coronary artery disease. We investigated the prognostic value of VECAC following HT.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 430 consecutive adult HT patients who underwent ¹³N-ammonia cardiac PET/CT from 2016 to 2019 with follow-up through October 15, 2022, was performed. VECAC categories included: VECAC 0, VECAC 1-9, VECAC 10-99, and VECAC 100+. The association between VECAC categories and outcomes was assessed using univariable and multivariable proportional hazards regression. The primary outcome was death/retransplantation.

Results: The cohort was 73% male, 33% had diabetes, 67% had estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min, median age was 61 years, and median time since HT was 7.5 years. VECAC alone was insufficiently sensitive to screen for CAV. During a median follow-up of 4.2 years ninety patients experienced death or retransplantation. Compared with those with VECAC 0, patients VECAC 10-99 (HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.23-4.14, p = 0.009) and VECAC 100+ (HR 3.42, 95% CI 1.96-5.99, p < 0.001) experienced an increased risk of death/retransplantation. The association was similar for cardiovascular death and cardiovascular hospitalization. After adjusting for other predictors of death/retransplantation, VECAC 10-99 (VECAC 10-99: aHR 1.95, 95% CI 1.03-3.71 p = 0.04) and VECAC 100+ (VECAC 100+: aHR 2.33, 95% CI 1.17-4.63, p = 0.02) remained independently associated with death/retransplantation.

Conclusions: VECAC is an independent prognostic marker of death/retransplantation following HT and merits inclusion as a part of post-HT surveillance PET/CT.