Prognostic value of cardiopulmonary exercise test after heart transplantation.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The clinical utility of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has not been extensively studied yet in heart transplantation (HTX) patients. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the predictive value of the CPET on hospitalizations and mortality in HTX recipients. METHODS: A retrospective cohort was performed from a secondary database. Patients > 18 years with HTX who underwent a CPET between 3 and 12 months after transplantation were included. Time to the first primary endpoint (HTX-related hospitalization) was analyzed and adjusted using Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS: A total of 122 patients (mean age 50.1 years, 77.0% men) were included. Fifty-seven patients (46.7%) had the primary endpoint. Peak VO2 (HR .95; CI 95% .90-.99, P = .03), oxygen pulse (HR .57; CI 95% .34-.96, P = .03) and predicted VO2 (HR .97; CI 95% .96-.99, P = .002) were associated with the endpoint. We did not find a significant association between the other variables and the outcome. CONCLUSION: In HTX recipients, peak VO2 , oxygen pulse, and predicted VO2 were independently associated with hospitalizations at follow up.