Heart transplantation for adults with congenital heart disease: results in the modern era

Abstract

Background: Heart transplantation in adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) has historically been associated with sub-optimal survival compared with other indications for transplantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate survival outcomes after heart transplantation in a contemporary cohort of adults with CHD and to identify risk factors for mortality that may help guide recipient and donor selection.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of our adult heart transplant database, from January 2001 to February 2011, identifying 19 patients who underwent transplantation for CHD. These patients were compared with a control group of 428 patients who underwent transplantation for indications other than CHD. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression modeling were performed.

Results: The mean age for the CHD group was 39.4 ± 13 years vs 54.7 ± 12 years (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in survival (CHD vs control) at 30 days (89% vs 92%, p = 0.5567), 1 year (84% vs 86%, p = 0.6976) or 5 years (70% vs 72%, p = 0.8478). The only significant predictor of death in the CHD group was donor organ ischemic time >4 hours (HR 13.26, 95% CI 1.3 to 132.2, p = 0.028). There was no significant correlation with recipient age, history of failed Fontan surgery, pre-operative ventilator use, donor:recipient weight ratio <0.8, donor:recipient CMV mismatch, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score or percent reactive antibody >10%.

Conclusions: In the modern era, with careful donor and recipient selection, adults with CHD have excellent early and mid-term survival after heart transplantation, rivaling that of recipients with other indications for transplantation.