Evolving Trends in Adult Heart Transplant With the 2018 Heart Allocation Policy Change.

Importance: The US heart allocation policy was changed on October 18, 2018. The association of this change with recipient and donor selection and outcomes remains to be elucidated. Objective: To evaluate changes in patient characteristics, wait list outcomes, and posttransplant outcomes after the recent allocation policy change in heart transplant. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cohort study, all 15 631 adults undergoing heart transplants, excluding multiorgan transplants, in the US as identified by the United Network for Organ Sharing multicenter, national registry were reviewed. Patients were stratified according to prepolicy change (October 1, 2015, to October 1, 2018) and postpolicy change (October 18, 2018 or after). Follow-up data were available through March 31, 2020. Exposures: Heart transplants after the policy change. Main Outcomes and Measures: Competing risk regression for wait list outcomes was performed. Posttransplant survival was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method, and risk adjustment was performed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: In this cohort study, of the 15 631 patients undergoing transplant, 10 671 (mean [SD] age, 53.1 [12.7] years; 7823 [73.3%] male) were wait listed before and 4960 (mean [SD] age, 52.7 [13.0] years; 3610 [72.8%] male) were wait listed after the policy change. Competing risk regression demonstrated reduced likelihood of mortality or deterioration (subhazard ratio [SHR], 0.60; 95% CI, 0.52-0.69; P < .001), increased likelihood of transplant (SHR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.32-1.45; P < .001), and reduced likelihood of recovery (SHR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.73; P < .001) for wait listed patients after the policy change. A total of 6078 patients underwent transplant before and 2801 after the policy change. Notable changes after the policy change included higher frequency of bridging with temporary mechanical circulatory support and lower frequency of bridging with durable left ventricular assist devices. Posttransplant survival was reduced after the policy change (1-year: 92.1% vs 87.5%; log-rank P < .001), a finding that persisted after risk adjustment (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.07-1.55; P = .008). Conclusions and Relevance: Substantial changes have occurred in adult heart transplant in the US after the policy change in October 2018. Wait list outcomes have improved, although posttransplant survival has decreased. These data confirm findings from earlier preliminary analyses and demonstrate that these trends have persisted to 1-year follow-up, underscoring the importance of continued reevaluation of the new heart allocation policy.

Using Geographic Catchment Areas to Measure Population-based Access to Kidney Transplant in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring efforts to improve access to transplantation requires a definition of the population attributable to a transplant center. Previously, assessment of variation in transplant care has focused on differences between administrative units-such as states-rather than units derived from observed care patterns. We defined catchment areas (transplant referral regions [TRRs]) from transplant center care patterns for population-based assessment of transplant access. METHODS: We used US adult transplant listings (2006-2016) and Dartmouth Atlas catchment areas to assess the optimal method of defining TRRs. We used US Renal Data System and Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipient data to compare waitlist- and population-based kidney transplant rates. RESULTS: We identified 110 kidney, 67 liver, 85 pancreas, 68 heart, and 43 lung TRRs. Most patients were listed in their assigned TRR (kidney: 76%; liver: 75%; pancreas: 75%; heart: 74%; lung: 72%), although the proportion varied by organ (interquartile range for kidney, 65.7%-82.5%; liver, 58.2%-78.8%; pancreas, 58.4%-81.1%; heart, 63.1%-80.9%; lung, 61.6%-76.3%). Patterns of population- and waitlist-based kidney transplant rates differed, most notably in the Northeast and Midwest. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns of TRR-based kidney transplant rates differ from waitlist-based rates, indicating that current metrics may not reflect transplant access in the broader population. TRRs define populations served by transplant centers and could enable future studies of how transplant centers can improve access for patients in their communities.

Clinical presentation and outcomes in women and men with advanced heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: To examine clinical characteristics and outcomes in women and men referred for advanced heart failure (HF) therapies such as left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or heart transplantation (HTx). Design: A retrospective study of 429 (23% women) consecutive adult HF patients not on inotropic or mechanical circulatory support with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤45% referred for assessment of advanced HF therapies at a single tertiary institution between 2002 and 2016. Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared in women and men, and all patients underwent right heart catheterization (RHC). Results: At evaluation, women were younger than men (48 ± 13 vs. 51 ± 12 years, p = .02), and less likely to have ischemic cardiomyopathy. There were no significant differences in NYHA class, contemporary HF therapy use, or physical examination findings, except for lower jugular vein distension and body surface area in women. On RHC, women had lower cardiac filling pressures, but similar pulmonary vascular resistance and cardiac index. Peak oxygen uptake from cardiopulmonary exercise testing was similar in both sexes. At total follow-up time, there were 164 deaths (21% vs. 44%, p < .0001), 46 LVADs (3% vs. 13%, p = .005), 110 HTxs (32% vs. 25%, p = .15), and 82 HTxs without requiring LVAD (29% vs. 16%, p = .03) in women and men. The time from RHC to HTx (±LVAD) was significantly shorter in women compared to men. Female sex was significantly associated with higher survival independent of time-trend, age, and comorbidities. Conclusion: At evaluation, hemodynamics were less deranged in women. A higher proportion of women received HTx, their waitlist time was shorter, and survival greater.

Early invasive assessment of the coronary microcirculation predicts subsequent acute rejection after heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Acute allograft rejection (AAR) plays an important role in patient and graft survival; therefore, more emphasis should be placed on its prediction. This study aimed to investigate baseline clinical and diagnostic variables associated with subsequent AAR during the first year post-transplant, especially focusing on early physiologic and anatomic measures. METHODS: This study enrolled 88 heart transplant patients who underwent fractional flow reserve (FFR), coronary flow reserve (CFR), the index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) in the left anterior descending artery at baseline (within 8 weeks post-transplant). Cardiac index (CI), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), right atrial pressure and left ventricular ejection fraction were also evaluated. AAR was defined as acute cellular rejection of grade ≥2R and/or pathological antibody-mediated rejection of grade ≥pAMR2. RESULTS: During the first year post-transplant, 25.0% of patients experienced AAR. Patients with AAR during the first year showed higher rates of recipient obesity, lower rates of recipient-donor sex mismatch and rATG and tacrolimus uses, higher PCWP, mPAP and IMR, and lower CFR at baseline, compared with those without. In the multivariate analysis, only baseline IMR ≥ 16.0 was independently associated with AAR during the first year, demonstrating high negative predictive value (96.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Invasively assessing microvascular resistance (baseline IMR ≥ 16.0) in the early post-transplant period was an independent determinant of subsequent acute allograft rejection during the first year post-transplant, suggesting that early assessment of IMR may enhance patient risk stratification and target medical therapies to improve patient outcome.

Mortality, Resource Utilization, and Inpatient Costs Vary Among Pediatric Heart Transplant Indications: A Merged Data Set Analysis From the United Network for Organ Sharing and Pediatric Health Information Systems Databases.

BACKGROUND: Merging United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and Pediatric Health Information Systems databases has enabled a more granular analysis of pediatric heart transplant outcomes and resource utilization. We evaluated whether transplant indication at time of transplantation was associated with mortality, resource utilization, and inpatient costs during the first year after transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed transplant outcomes and resource utilization from 2004 to 2015. Patients were categorized as congenital (CHD), myocarditis, or cardiomyopathy based on UNOS-defined primary indication. CHD complexity subgroup analyses (single-ventricle, complex, and simple biventricular CHD) were also performed. Of 2251 transplants (49% CHD, 5% myocarditis, 46% cardiomyopathy), CHD recipients were younger (2 [IQR 0-10], 6 [IQR 0-12], and 7 [IQR 1-14] years, respectively; P < .001) and less likely to have a ventricular assist device (VAD) at transplantation (3%, 27%, and 13%, respectively; P < .001). Patients with single-ventricle CHD had the longest time on the waitlist and were least likely to receive a VAD before transplantation. After adjusting for patient-level factors, transplant recipients with single-ventricle CHD had the greatest mortality during transplantation admission and within 1 year (odds ratio [OR] 11.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.9-23.6] and OR 6.0 [95% CI 3.6-10.2], respectively, vs cardiomyopathy). Mortality was similar between patients with myocarditis and cardiomyopathy. Post-transplantation length of stay (LOS) was longer in transplant recipients with CHD than myocarditis or cardiomyopathy (25 [interquartile range [IQR] 15-45] vs 21 [IQR 12-35] vs 16 [IQR 12-25] days; P < .001), related in part to longer duration of intensive care unit-level care (ICU LOS 8 [IQR 4-20] vs 6 [IQR 4-13] vs 5 [IQR 3-8] days; P < .001). Similarly, patients with CHD had higher median post-transplantation costs than myocarditis or cardiomyopathy ($415K [IQR $201K-503K] vs $354K [IQR $179K-390K] vs $284K [IQR $145K-319K]; P < .001) that persisted after adjusting for patient-level factors (adjusted cost ratio 1.4 [95% CI 1.4-1.5], CHD vs cardiomyopathy) and was primarily driven by longer LOS. More than 50% were readmitted during the first year after transplantation, although readmission rates were similar across transplant indications (P = .42). CONCLUSIONS: Children with CHD, particularly single-ventricle patients, require substantially greater hospital resource utilization and have significantly worse outcomes during the first year after heart transplantation compared with other indications. Further work is aimed at identifying modifiable pre-transplantation risk factors, such as pre-transplantation conditioning with VAD support and cardiac rehabilitation, to improve post-transplantation outcomes and reduce resource utilization in this complex population.

Trends and Cost of Heart Transplantation and Left Ventricular Assist Devices: Impact of Proposed Federal Cuts.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare trends of use, in-hospital mortality, and annual expenditures associated with orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. In view of the changing health care landscape, we assessed the impact of federal funding cuts on Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries seeking these procedures. BACKGROUND: Use and cost trends associated with OHT and LVAD are not well defined. Moreover, little is known about the economic contribution of Medicare and Medicaid for these procedures. METHODS: Using the National Inpatient Sample from 2009 through 2014, the study identified index hospitalizations for OHT and LVAD. The aforementioned trends and inflation-adjusted cost analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 28,765 hospitalizations associated with OHT or LVAD were identified. The number of index hospitalizations for OHT increased from 1,795 to 2,140, whereas the number of LVAD implants increased from 2,205 to 3,645 (ptrend <0.001 for both). Unadjusted in-hospital mortality declined significantly from 17% to 12% (ptrend = 0.013) but remained unchanged for OHT (4.5% and 6.6%, respectively; ptrend = 0.30). The annual expenditure increased from ∼$288 to $451 million for OHT and from ∼$400 to $800 million for LVAD during the study period. Overall, Medicare and Medicaid contributed to more than 50% of the costs associated with these hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: With increasing use and annual expenditure, OHT and LVAD account for more than 1 billion dollars of the health care budget. In-hospital mortality associated with LVAD has continued to decline but has remained higher than that with OHT. Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries seeking these procedures would be adversely affected by the proposed cuts.

PET Assessment of Epicardial Intimal Disease and Microvascular Dysfunction in Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a leading cause of graft failure and death after heart transplantation. Absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantification using rubidium 82 (Rb-82) positron emission tomography (PET) could enable evaluation of diagnostically challenging diffuse epicardial and microvascular disease in CAV. OBJECTIVES: The authors aimed to evaluate Rb-82 PET detection of CAV. METHODS: Consecutive transplant recipients undergoing coronary angiography were prospectively evaluated with PET, multivessel intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), and intracoronary hemodynamics. CAV was defined as International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation CAV1-3 on angiography and maximal intimal thickness ≥0.5 mm on IVUS. RESULTS: Forty patients (mean age 56 years, 4.8 years post-transplant) completed evaluation. CAV was detected in 32 patients (80%) by IVUS and 14 (35%) by angiography. PET correlated significantly with invasive coronary flow indices: r = 0.29, rate-pressure product-adjusted myocardial flow reserve (cMFR) versus coronary flow reserve; r = 0.28, relative flow reserve versus fractional flow reserve; and r = 0.37, coronary vascular resistance (CVR) versus index of microcirculatory resistance. Patients with CAV or microvascular dysfunction had reduced cMFR and stress MBF and increased CVR. Receiver operator characteristic curves demonstrated good accuracy of PET for CAV on IVUS (area under the curve 0.77 to 0.81) and optimal diagnostic cutoffs of cMFR <2.9, stress MBF <2.3, and CVR >55. Combined PET assessment for CAV yielded excellent >93% sensitivity (>65% specificity) for 1 abnormal parameter and >96% specificity (>55% sensitivity) for 2 abnormal parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Rb-82 PET flow quantification has high diagnostic accuracy for CAV, with potential for noninvasive evaluation after heart transplantation.

Invasive Assessment of Coronary Physiology Predicts Late Mortality After Heart Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine the prognostic value of invasively assessing coronary physiology early after heart transplantation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventy-four cardiac transplant recipients had fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve, index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR), and intravascular ultrasound performed down the left anterior descending coronary artery soon after (baseline) and 1 year after heart transplantation. The primary end point was the cumulative survival free of death or retransplantation at a mean follow-up of 4.5±3.5 years. The cumulative event-free survival was significantly lower in patients with a fractional flow reserve <0.90 at baseline (42% versus 79%; P=0.01) or an IMR ≥20 measured 1 year after heart transplantation (39% versus 69%; P=0.03). Patients in whom IMR decreased or did not change from baseline to 1 year had higher event-free survival compared with patients with an increase in IMR (66% versus 36%; P=0.03). Fractional flow reserve <0.90 at baseline (hazard ratio, 0.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.81; P=0.03), IMR ≥20 at 1 year (hazard ratio, 3.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-14.27; P=0.04), and rejection during the first year (hazard ratio, 6.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.56-23.09; P=0.009) were independent predictors of death/retransplantation, whereas intravascular ultrasound parameters were not. CONCLUSIONS: Invasive measures of coronary physiology (fractional flow reserve and IMR) determined early after heart transplantation are significant predictors of late death or retransplantation.

Organ transplantation in Tunisia.

Kidney transplants were first performed in Tunisia in 1986, and transplants soon extended to other organs including the heart, liver, and pancreas. Live-related donor and deceased-donor kidney transplants were both began in the summer of 1986. An organ procurement and transplant law was passed in March 1991, and the National Centre for Advancement of Organ Transplantation was created in 1995. The number of transplantation units has increased to 7 throughout the country, and the yearly transplant number has progressively increased to 139 in 2010, including 20% from deceased kidney donors. Despite these gains, the need continues to grow. Heart transplants began in January 1993, and Tunisia and Jordan are currently the only Arab countries where it is practiced. However, only 16 patients have received a heart transplant as of 2004, and the number of recipients has decreased in the past 10 years. Liver transplants are rare in other Arab countries, but began in Tunisia in January 1998. Over 10 years, 38 patients benefited from this procedure. After a few years of stagnation, the number of liver transplants is increasing. While all types of transplantation are needed, kidney transplantation is a priority in Tunisia. The target is to perform 400 transplants annually, which would require a long-term strategy to provide full financial coverage using the National Health Insurance Funds in both the public and private sectors.

Heart transplantation versus continuous-flow left ventricular assist device: comprehensive cost at 1 year.

BACKGROUND: With health care reform firmly on the horizon, it is critical to understand the costs associated with new technologies such as continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) compared with well established treatments such as heart transplantation (HT). Scarce data exist describing the costs of these 2 therapies after 1 year of support. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study population consisted of 20 consecutive subjects who underwent implantation of a CF-LVAD and 20 consecutive subjects who underwent HT and survived ≥1 year. Comprehensive cost calculation included all direct and indirect costs from day of operation through 365 days and were inflation adjusted to 2010 US dollars. Hospital charges were converted to costs with the use of hospital-specific cost-to-charge ratios and were analyzed by time segment as well as cost center. The total 1-year cost was higher in the CF-LVAD group, although this difference did not reach statistical significance ($369,519 [interquartile range [IQR] $321,020-$520,395] vs $329,648 [IQR $278,924-$395,456]; P = .242). In both groups, the index admission constituted >50% of the total 1-year cost and the major drivers of expense by cost center were organ/device acquisition, room and board, and professional fees. CONCLUSIONS: Patients surviving to 1 year on CF-LVAD support accrued costs similar to those of HT recipients; however, the total cost, at more than one-third of a million dollars, remains high. Reduction in the postoperative length of stay offers an avenue for significant cost savings.

Stage 1 hybrid palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome--assessment of contemporary patterns of use: an analysis of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

OBJECTIVE: Hybrid palliation is an alternative to Norwood stage 1 for the initial management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Contemporary multicenter hybrid use and institutional/patient factors associated with hybrid use relative to the Norwood have not been evaluated. We describe hybrid use in relation to institutional volume, patient factors, and short-term outcomes. METHODS: Infants aged 60 days or less listed in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (2010-2012) undergoing initial palliation of hypoplastic left heart syndrome were included. Annual institutional hybrid use rates were calculated: [hybrid procedures/(Norwood + hybrid + transplant procedures)]. In-hospital outcomes for primary hybrid and primary Norwood were compared and stratified by high (defined as ≥50%) versus low (defined as ≤10%) institutional hybrid use. RESULTS: Of 1728 patients (100 centers), most (n = 1496, 87%) underwent an index Norwood; 232 patients (13%) underwent an index hybrid procedure. Preoperative patient risk factors were more prevalent in patients undergoing the hybrid procedure. Only 13 of 100 institutions were high hybrid users, and these tended to have lower annual hypoplastic left heart syndrome index case volume. Unadjusted in-hospital mortality was higher for the hybrid compared with the Norwood procedure (30% vs 16%; P < .001). In-hospital mortality for the hybrid procedure was not associated with hybrid use (26% among institutions with low use vs 28% among institutions with high use). However, centers with high hybrid use had higher mortality after the Norwood (43%) compared with centers with low hybrid use (16%). CONCLUSIONS: Few centers currently select the hybrid procedure for most infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Although unadjusted in-hospital hybrid mortality is higher than Norwood mortality, potential risk factors are more prevalent among hybrid cases. Institutions with higher hybrid use have lower hypoplastic left heart syndrome case volume and higher Norwood mortality.

Cost-effectiveness of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for patients with advanced heart failure: analysis of the British NHS bridge to transplant (BTT) program.

BACKGROUND: A previous cost-effectiveness analysis showed that bridge to transplant (BTT) with early design left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for advanced heart failure was more expensive than medical management while appearing less beneficial. Older LVADs were pulsatile, but current second and third generation LVADs are continuous flow pumps. This study aimed to estimate comparative cost-effectiveness of BTT with durable implantable continuous flow LVADs compared to medical management in the British NHS. METHODS AND RESULTS: A semi-Markov multi-state economic model was built using NHS costs data and patient data in the British NHS Blood and Transplant Database (BTDB). Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental costs per QALY were calculated for patients receiving LVADs compared to those receiving inotrope supported medical management. LVADs cost £80,569 ($127,887) at 2011 prices and delivered greater benefit than medical management. The estimated probabilistic incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was £53,527 ($84,963)/QALY (95%CI: £31,802-£94,853; $50,479-$150,560) (over a lifetime horizon). Estimates were sensitive to choice of comparator population, relative likelihood of receiving a heart transplant, time to transplant, and LVAD costs. Reducing the device cost by 15% decreased the ICER to £50,106 ($79,533)/QALY. CONCLUSIONS: Durable implantable continuous flow LVADs deliver greater benefits at higher costs than medical management in Britain. At the current UK threshold of £20,000 to £30,000/QALY LVADs are not cost effective but the ICER now begins to approach that of an intervention for end of life care recently recommended by the British NHS. Cost-effectiveness estimates are hampered by the lack of randomized trials.

Multiparametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance assessment of cardiac allograft vasculopathy.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the diagnostic performance of multiparametric cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) for detecting cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) using contemporary invasive epicardial artery and microvascular assessment techniques as reference standards, and to compare the performance of CMR with that of angiography. BACKGROUND: CAV continues to limit the long-term survival of heart transplant recipients. Coronary angiography has a Class I recommendation for CAV surveillance and annual or biannual surveillance angiography is performed routinely in most centers. METHODS: All transplant recipients referred for surveillance angiography at a single UK center over a 2-year period were prospectively screened for study eligibility. Patients prospectively underwent coronary angiography followed by coronary intravascular ultrasound, fractional flow reserve, and index of microcirculatory resistance. Within 1 month, patients underwent multiparametric CMR, including assessment of regional and global ventricular function, absolute myocardial blood flow quantification, and myocardial tissue characterization. In addition, 10 healthy volunteers underwent CMR. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were recruited, median 7.1 years (interquartile range: 4.6 to 10.3 years) since transplantation. The CMR myocardial perfusion reserve was the only independent predictor of both epicardial (ß = -0.57, p < 0.001) and microvascular disease (ß = -0.60, p < 0.001) on stepwise multivariable regression. The CMR myocardial perfusion reserve significantly outperformed angiography for detecting moderate CAV (area under the curve, 0.89 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79 to 1.00] vs. 0.59 [95% CI: 0.42 to 0.77], p = 0.01) and severe CAV (area under the curve, 0.88 [95% CI: 0.78 to 0.98] vs. 0.67 [95% CI: 0.52 to 0.82], p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CAV, including epicardial and microvascular components, can be detected more accurately using noninvasive CMR-based absolute myocardial blood flow assessment than with invasive coronary angiography, the current clinical surveillance technique.

Organ allocation in adults with congenital heart disease listed for heart transplant: impact of ventricular assist devices.

BACKGROUND: Adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) listed for heart transplantation are rarely supported by ventricular assist devices (VADs). This may be a disadvantage to their priority for organ allocation. We sought to determine the relationship between VAD implantation and successful transplantation among patients listed for heart transplant. METHODS: Adults with CHD patients (N = 1,250) were identified from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database from 1985 to 2010 and compared to patients without congenital etiology for heart failure (N = 59,606). VAD use at listing, listing status, status upgrades and reasons for upgrade prior to transplant were trended at 5-year intervals and appropriate statistical comparisons were made between groups. RESULTS: Since 1985, VAD use prior to transplant has increased significantly in patients without CHD, but not in CHD patients (17% vs 3% in 2006 to 2010, p < 0.0001). CHD patients were more likely to be listed as Status 2, compared to those without (66% vs 40%, p < 0.001 for 2006 to 2010), and less likely to be upgraded to Status 1 after listing (43% vs 55%, p = 0.03). Among those upgraded to Status 1, CHD patients were less likely to have a VAD at transplant than those without (3% vs 18%, p = 0.005). VAD use was more likely to result in death in CHD patients. CONCLUSIONS: VAD use is less common in CHD patients than in patients without CHD, both at the time of listing and transplantation. Reduced VAD use appears to contribute to lower listing status and organ allocation. These differences have grown more disparate over time. Separate criteria for organ allocation for CHD patients may be justified.

Advances in machine perfusion graft viability assessment in kidney, liver, pancreas, lung, and heart transplant.

Solid organ transplant constitutes the definitive treatment for end-stage organ failure. Better organ preservation methods have enabled use of marginal grafts, thereby expanding the donor pool to meet the growing demand for organs. Static cold storage as a preservation method has been superseded largely by machine perfusion in kidney transplant, with work regarding its use in other organ transplants ongoing. We hope that machine perfusion will allow better graft preservation, and pretransplant assessment, and optimization. The most extensive laboratory, preclinical, and clinical research into machine perfusion organ preservation has focused on kidneys. Successful outcomes in its use in renal transplant have sparked interest for its development and application to the liver, pancreas, heart, and lungs. This article reviews the current state of machine perfusion in abdominal and thoracic organ transplant, focusing on the recent developments in assessing graft viability.

Stable patients on left ventricular assist device support have a disproportionate advantage: time to re-evaluate the current UNOS policy.

Over the years, policies adopted by United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) have directed allocation of donor hearts in the USA. These policies have been based on algorithms that allocate a higher priority status to those patients who are the most infirm, and would thereby benefit patients in the most dire of circumstances. Over the last 2 decades, the increased use of LVADs as a bridge to transplantation has had a major impact on lowering the mortality among those on the heart transplant waiting list. Given the constant risk of potential complications related to these devices, early UNOS policies were implemented to specifically allocate higher priority status to patients on LVADs. However, recent advances in LVAD technology coupled with refinements in patient selection and management have dramatically improved patient survival and led to a reduction in complications. It is inevitable that favorable experiences with the current generation of LVADs coupled with continued improvements in technology will lead to increased use of these devices as a bridge to transplantation or to candidacy.

Persistent racial disparities in survival after heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities are well documented in many areas of health care, but have not been comprehensively evaluated among recipients of heart transplants. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 39075 adult primary heart transplant recipients from 1987 to 2009 using national data from the United Network of Organ Sharing and compared mortality for nonwhite and white patients using the Cox proportional hazards model. During the study period, 8082 nonwhite and 30 993 white patients underwent heart transplantation. Nonwhite heart transplant recipients increased over time, comprising nearly 30% of transplantations since 2005. Nonwhite recipients had a higher clinical risk profile than white recipients at the time of transplantation, but had significantly higher posttransplantation mortality even after adjustment for baseline risk. Among the nonwhite group, only black recipients had an increased risk of death compared with white recipients after multivariable adjustment for recipient, transplant, and socioeconomic factors (hazard ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 1.47; P<0.001). Five-year mortality was 35.7% (95% confidence interval, 35.2 to 38.3) among black and 26.5% (95% confidence interval, 26.0 to 27.0) among white recipients. Black patients were more likely to die of graft failure or a cardiovascular cause than white patients, but less likely to die of infection or malignancy. Although mortality decreased over time for all transplant recipients, the disparity in mortality between blacks and whites remained essentially unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Black heart transplant recipients have had persistently higher mortality than whites recipients over the past 2 decades, perhaps because of a higher rate of graft failure.