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CLINICAL RESEARCH: HEART FAILURE

The Effect of Age, Diagnosis, and Previous Surgery in Children and Adults Undergoing Heart Transplantation for Congenital Heart Disease

Jacqueline M. Lamour, MD^_*,_*, Kirk R. Kanter, MD, David C. Naftel, PhD, Maryanne R. Chrisant, MD, William R. Morrow, MD^||, Barry S. Clemson, MD^¶, James K. Kirklin, MD CTRD (Cardiac Transplant Registry Database) and the PHTS (Pediatric Heart Transplant Study)

^_* Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Columbia University, New York, New York
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
^|| University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas
^¶ Department of Cardiology, St. Francis Medical Center, Peoria, Illinois

Manuscript received July 5, 2007; revised manuscript received March 25, 2009, accepted April 2, 2009.

^_* Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Jacqueline M. Lamour, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, 3415 Bainbridge Avenue, Bronx, New York 10467 (Email: jlamour{at}montefiore.org).

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the outcomes and identify risk factors for mortality after heart transplantation (HT) for congenital heart disease (CHD) in infants, children, and adults.

Background: CHD is considered a risk factor for mortality after HT, yet this unique group of patients represents a spectrum of complexity.

Methods: There were 488 patients transplanted for CHD from the combined Pediatric Heart Transplant Study (1993 to 2002, n = 367) and the Cardiac Transplant Registry Database (1990 to 2002, n = 121) who were analyzed.

Results: The median age at HT was 12.4 years. Primary diagnosis included single ventricle (36%), d-transposition of the great arteries (12%), right ventricular outflow tract lesions (10%), l-transposition of the great arteries (8%), ventricular/atrial septal defects (8%), left ventricular outflow obstruction (8%), and other (18%). Ninety-three percent of patients had at least 1 operation before HT. Survival at 3 months post-HT was significantly worse in CHD patients versus children with cardiomyopathy, but not adults with cardiomyopathy (86%, 94%, and 91%, respectively). There was no difference in conditional 3-month survival among the 3 groups. Five-year survival was 80%. Risk factors for early mortality were older recipient age, older donors with longer ischemic times, and pre-HT Fontan operations. Predicted survival in Fontan patients was lower (77% and 70% at 1 and 5 years) versus non-Fontan patients (88% and 81% at 1 and 5 years). Risk factors for constant phase mortality included younger recipient age, higher transpulmonary gradient, cytomegalovirus mismatch at HT, and earlier classical Glenn operation.

Conclusions: Patients undergoing transplantation for CHD have a good late survival if they survive the early post-operative period. Risk factors for reduced survival are older age at transplant and a previous Fontan operation.

Key Words: heart transplantation • congenital heart disease • outcomes • pediatrics • adults

Abbreviations and Acronyms   CHD = congenital heart disease   HT = heart transplantation   TGA = transposition of the great arteries

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J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2009 54: A24. [Full Text] [PDF]