Contemporary Immunosuppression Management and 1-Year Outcomes in Dual Organ Heart Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: There have been limited reports on immunosuppression strategies and outcomes in dual organ heart transplant populations, primarily from before the 2018 United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) heart allocation policy change. Recent data suggested that outcomes with heart-lung and heart-liver transplants remained comparable in the new allocation era, yet heart-kidney recipients have worse 1-year survival. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study evaluated adult heart-kidney, heart-liver, and heart-lung transplant recipients from September 2019 to May 2023. Immunosuppression regimen, infectious complications, and graft outcomes were collected for 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 36 patients (kidney n = 20, liver n = 9, and lung n = 7) were included in this study. Basiliximab was the most commonly employed induction strategy across the organ groups (12/20 in kidney, 4/9 in liver, and 7/7 in lung). All patients were on triple immunosuppression at 12 months posttransplant with prednisone wean achieved in one heart-liver recipient. Infection complications were frequently reported (95% kidney, 75% liver, 100% lung group). One patient went back to dialysis due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. One chronic lung allograft dysfunction was reported, but no other severe biopsy-proven rejection or retransplant was reported. The 1-year survival was 85% (17/20) in heart-kidney, 78% (7/9) in heart-liver, and 86% (6/7) in heart-lung recipients. CONCLUSION: This study summarized real-world immunosuppression strategies and outcomes in dual organ heart transplant recipients.

Elevated posaconazole trough concentrations are not associated with increased risk for posaconazole toxicity in lung transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE: Posaconazole is used for prophylaxis and treatment of invasive fungal infections in lung transplant recipients (LTR). Previous studies have not described the relationship between elevated posaconazole trough concentrations and adverse drug reactions in this population. METHODS: This IRB-approved, retrospective cohort study at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital included LTR who had posaconazole trough concentrations measured. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate elevated posaconazole trough concentrations and changes in liver function tests as well as QTc interval. A secondary aim of this study was to identify patient factors associated with elevated posaconazole trough levels. RESULTS: A total of 109 LTR were included. The average age was 58.1 years (IQR, 48-65), the majority were male (56%). A total of 932 trough levels were assessed with a median number of 8 (IQR, 5-15) levels per patient. The median posaconazole trough concentration was 1.7 mg/L (IQR, 1.1-2.5). Hepatotoxicity, as defined by common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE), was observed in 73.4% of subjects, with the majority classified as grade 1 (67.5%). However, there was no correlation between elevated posaconazole levels and aspartate aminotransferase (r = .03), alanine aminotransferase (r = .04), alkaline phosphatase (r = .04), and total bilirubin (r = .02). There was also no correlation between posaconazole trough concentrations and QTc interval (r = .03). CONCLUSION: This analysis demonstrates that no correlation exists between whole blood posaconazole levels and hepatotoxicity or QTc prolongation. Based on these results, posaconazole dose reductions may not be warranted for posaconazole levels that are significantly above the therapeutic target to avert risk for hepatotoxicity or QTc prolongation.

Early clinical experience with nirmatrelvir/ritonavir for the treatment of COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients.

Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NR) use has not yet been described in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) with mild COVID-19. The objective was to evaluate outcomes among SOTR and describe the drug-drug interaction of NR. This is an IRB-approved, retrospective study of all adult SOTR on a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor who were prescribed NR between December 28, 2021 and January 6, 2022. A total of 25 adult SOTR were included (n = 21 tacrolimus, n = 4 cyclosporine, n = 3 everolimus, n = 1 sirolimus). All patients were instructed to follow the following standardized protocol during treatment with 5 days of NR: hold tacrolimus or mTOR inhibitor or reduce cyclosporine dose to 20% of baseline daily dose. Four patients (16%) were hospitalized by day 30; one for infectious diarrhea and three for symptoms related to COVID-19. No patients died within 30 days of receipt of NR. Median tacrolimus level pre- and post-NR were 7.4 ng/ml (IQR, 6.6-8.6) and 5.2 (IQR, 3.6-8.7), respectively. Four patients experienced a supratherapeutic tacrolimus concentration after restarting tacrolimus post-NR. Our results show the clinically significant interaction between NR and immunosuppressive agents can be reasonably managed with a standardized dosing protocol. Prescribers should carefully re-introduce CNI after the NR course is complete.

Less bleeding associated with apixaban versus other direct acting oral anticoagulation in solid organ transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of bleeding and thrombosis resulting from the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in a large cohort of solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. METHODS: This was a single center, retrospective cohort study of adult kidney, heart, lung, and liver transplant recipients transplanted between August 2009 and May 2018. Patients were stratified into two groups: those who received apixaban (apixaban group) or those patients receiving either rivaroxaban or dabigatran (non-apixaban group). The primary endpoint was the cumulative incidence of bleeding while receiving DOAC therapy. The secondary endpoints were incidence of major bleeding and thrombosis at any time while receiving DOAC therapy. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were included; 70 patients received apixaban and 36 patients received non-apixaban anticoagulation. Cumulative incidence of any bleeding was lower in the apixaban group compared to the non-apixaban group at both 90 days (4.9% vs. 16.1%) and 180 days (11.4% vs. 24.9%, P = .034). Cumulative incidence of major bleeding (P = .686) and thrombosis (P = .515) were similar between groups. DOAC dosing congruent with the package insert(s) was associated with a lower risk of thrombosis. CONCLUSION: Apixaban-based anticoagulation was associated with a lower cumulative incidence of any bleeding compared to non-apixaban DOACs.

COVID-19 in lung transplant recipients: A single center case series from New York City.

There are limited data describing COVID-19 in lung transplant recipients. We performed a single center, retrospective case series study of lung transplant patients followed by the Columbia Lung Transplant program who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between March 19 and May 19, 2020. Thirty-two lung transplant patients developed mild (16%), moderate (44%), or severe (41%) COVID-19. The median age of patients was 65 years, and the median time from lung transplant was 5.6 years. Symptoms included cough (66%), dyspnea (50%), fever (47%), and gastrointestinal upset (44%). Patients received hydroxychloroquine (84%), azithromycin (75%), augmented steroids (44%), tocilizumab (19%), and remdesivir (9%). Eleven patients (34%) died at a median time of 14 days from admission. Complications during admission included: acute kidney injury (63%), transaminitis (31%), shock (31%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (25%), neurological events (25%), arrhythmias (22%), and venous thromboembolism (9%). Compared to patients with moderate COVID-19, patients with severe COVID-19 had higher peak white blood cell counts (15.8 vs 7 × 103 /uL, P = .019), C-reactive protein (198 vs. 107 mg/L, P = .010) and D-dimer (8.6 vs. 2.1 ug/mL, P = .004) levels, and lower nadir lymphocyte counts (0.09 vs. 0.4 × 103 /uL, P = .006). COVID-19 is associated with severe illness and a high mortality rate in lung transplant recipients.

Quality of Life Outcomes and Associated Symptoms Reported by Lung Transplant Recipients Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: Applying a Novel Assessment Tool.

BACKGROUND: There are 2 main aims of lung transplantation for people with end-stage lung disease: (1) to extend life and (2) to improve its quality. Much consideration is given to how to support the longevity and functioning of the allograft, though less robust studies have been done on the quality of the recipients' lives. With an interest in providing compassionate and holistic patient-centered care, it is vital that the treatment providers accurately understand their patients' lived experience. This study aimed to describe the health-related quality of life experiences of lung transplant recipients. An interest was held for where patients may struggle, thus informing where support might be needed to achieve the best possible outcomes. METHODS: This single-center study used a validated Lung Transplant Quality of Life questionnaire, which was sent in autumn of 2020 to all of the lung transplant recipients (n = 581) under the care of Columbia University Irving Medical Center (New York, NY). RESULTS: "Anxiety/Depression" had the highest concentration of struggle responses, followed closely by "Pulmonary Symptoms" and "Neuromuscular Symptoms." "Neuromuscular Problems" and "Sexual Problems" had the highest percentage of struggle responses. As the struggles increased, the overall quality of life rating dropped proportionately. There was no correlation between the overall quality of life and graft dysfunction, age, or time out from transplant date. All of the domains held an average rating of "Satisfactory," except "Treatment Burden," which was rated as "Favorable." Those ratings dropped for the cohort of patients who died during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: With the goal of providing comprehensive care at the forefront of transplant priorities, we found the newly developed questionnaire invaluable in targeting areas for quality improvements, mostly notably respecting recipient mental health.

One Year Into the Pandemic: Evolving COVID-19 Outcomes in Lung Transplant Recipients, a Single-center Experience.

In the early months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, our center reported a mortality rate of 34% in a cohort of 32 lung transplant recipients with COVID-19 between March and May 2020. Since then, there has been evolving knowledge in prevention and treatments of COVID-19. To evaluate the impact of these changes, we describe the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of a more recent cohort of lung transplant recipients during the second surge and provide a comparison with our first cohort. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study that included all consecutive lung transplant recipients who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 between November 2020 and February 28, 2021. We compared baseline demographics and major outcomes between the first- and second-surge cohorts. Results: We identified 47 lung transplant recipients (median age, 60; 51% female) who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 between November 2020 and February 28, 2021. The current cohort had a higher proportion of patients with mild disease (34% versus 16%) and fewer patients with a history of obesity (4% versus 25%). Sixty-six percent (n = 31) required hospitalization and were treated with remdesivir (90%) and dexamethasone (84%). Among those hospitalized, 77% (n = 24) required supplemental oxygen, and 22% (n = 7) required invasive mechanical ventilation. The overall 90-d mortality decreased from 34% to 17% from the first cohort to the second (adjusted odds ratio, 0.26; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.85; P = 0.026). Conclusions: Although COVID-19-associated mortality rate in lung transplant recipients at our center has decreased over time, COVID-19 continues to be associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

Immunosuppression considerations in simultaneous organ transplant.

Solid organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients in the end stage of heart, lung, kidney, and liver failure. For patients with more than one failing organ, simultaneous organ transplantation has emerged as a viable treatment option. Immunosuppression strategies and outcomes for simultaneous organ transplant recipients have been reported, but often involve limited populations. Transplanting dual organs poses challenges in terms of balancing immunosuppression with immunologic risk and allograft damage from surgical complications. Furthermore, transplanting certain organs can impose considerations on the management of immunosuppression. For example, liver allografts may confer immunologic privilege and lower rates of rejection of other allografts. This review article evaluates immunosuppression strategies for simultaneous kidney-pancreas, liver-kidney, heart-kidney, heart-liver, heart-lung, lung-liver, and lung-kidney transplants. To date, no comprehensive review exists to address immunosuppressive strategies in simultaneous organ transplant populations. Our review summarizes the available literature and provides evidence-based recommendations regarding immunosuppression strategies in simultaneous organ transplant recipients.

Clostridium difficile infection, a descriptive analysis of solid organ transplant recipients at a single center.

Clostridium difficile is a bacterial enteric pathogen, which causes clinical disease among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. This large, single-center, retrospective study describes incidence, demographics, and impact of C. difficile infection (CDI) among adult SOT recipients, cardiac (n=5), lung (n=14), liver (n=9), renal (n=26), and multiorgan (n=9) patients transplanted and diagnosed with CDI (geneB PCR) between 9/2009 and 12/2012. The overall incidence of CDI in our population during the 40-month period of study was 4%. CDI incidence among cardiac, lung, liver, and renal transplant recipients was 1.9%, 7%, 2.7%, and 3.2%, respectively (P=0.03 between organ-types). Median time from transplant to CDI for all was 51 (14-249) days, with liver recipients having the shortest time to infection, median 36 (15-101) days, and lung recipients having a longer time to infection, median 136 (29-611) days. Antibiotic exposure within 3 months of CDI was evident in 45 of the 63 (71%) patients in this study, 80%, 79%, 100%, 58%, and 67% of cardiac, lung, liver, renal, and multiorgan transplant recipients, respectively. Most patients (83%) were hospitalized within the 3 months preceding CDI. Recipients were followed for a median time of 23 (16-31) months; at the time of last follow-up, 83% of allografts were functioning, and 86% of patients were alive. One death and 1 graft failure were causally related to CDI. CDI had an overall incidence of 4%; clinicians should have heightened awareness for CDI, especially among patients receiving antibiotics, with increased monitoring and aggressive management of CDI.

Immunosuppression in lung transplantation.

Lung transplantation can be a life-saving procedure for those with end-stage lung diseases. Unfortunately, long term graft and patient survival are limited by both acute and chronic allograft rejection, with a median survival of just over 6 years. Immunosuppressive regimens are employed to reduce the rate of rejection, and while protocols vary from center to center, conventional maintenance therapy consists of triple drug therapy with a calcineurin inhibitor (cyclosporine or tacrolimus), antiproliferative agents [azathioprine (AZA), mycophenolate, sirolimus (srl), everolimus (evl)], and corticosteroids (CS). Roughly 50% of lung transplant centers also utilize induction therapy, with polyclonal antibody preparations [equine or rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG)], interleukin 2 receptor antagonists (IL2RAs) (daclizumab or basiliximab), or alemtuzumab. This review summarizes these agents and the data surrounding their use in lung transplantation, as well as additional common and novel therapies in lung transplantation. Despite the progression of the management of lung transplant recipients, they continue to be at high risk of treatment-related complications, and poor graft and patient survival. Randomized clinical trials are needed to allow for the development of better agents, regimens and techniques to address above mentioned issues and reduce morbidity and mortality among lung transplant recipients.

Clinical outcomes associated with the early postoperative use of heparin in pancreas transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Graft thrombosis following pancreas transplantation is the leading non-immunologic cause of graft loss. Routine systemic anticoagulation is controversial because of an increased bleeding risk. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center analysis including all pancreas transplants performed over 9 years evaluating the use of low-dose heparin in the early postoperative period. Clinical outcomes were partial and complete graft thrombosis within 30 days, bleeding events, relaparotomy rates, and 30-day graft and patient survival. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for early graft loss resulting from thrombosis. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-two patients were included, 52 in the heparin group. The overall complete thrombosis rate was 13.1%, 10% in those who received heparin, and 15% in those who did not. Partial thrombosis was higher in the heparin group (10% vs. 3%). Higher relaparotomy rates were seen in the heparin group (29% vs. 22%); however, bleeding events were similar between groups. Graft and patient survival at 30 days were similar between groups; however, there was a trend toward higher graft survival in the heparin group. Heparin showed a trend toward a protective benefit for early graft loss resulting from thrombosis in all multivariate regression models. CONCLUSION: These data suggest low-dose heparin early in the postoperative period may provide a protective benefit in the prevention of early graft loss resulting from thrombosis, without an increased risk of bleeding.

Timing of factor VIIa in liver transplantation impacts cost and clinical outcomes.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and economic outcomes associated with the use of recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) in perioperative liver transplantation (LT). DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 63 adults who underwent LT between January 2000 and September 2008 and received rFVIIa prior to or during the procedure. Using a propensity-scoring method, these patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio with 120 controls. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 473 patients who received any LT during the study period, 63 (13%) received rFVIIa and were matched with propensity score matched controls at a ratio of approximately 1:2. Of those who received rFVIIa, 27 (43%) received preemptive administration and 14 (22%) received intraoperative administration. (The remaining 22 patients received rFVIIa outside of a 12-hour window of time before or after surgery.) Clinical outcomes were similar between the preemptive and the control groups, although patients in the control group had a shorter length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and incurred fewer expenses. Compared with both the preemptive and the control groups, patients who received rFVIIa intraoperatively required more blood products, longer stays in the ICU, and incurred higher costs. They also had poorer graft survival and decreased overall survival rates at 30 days and 1 year. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative administration of rFVIIa in LT was associated with higher blood product use, lower graft and patient survival rates, longer ICU stays, and higher overall costs compared with preemptive administration. The use of preemptive rFVIIa in select high-risk LT patients may prevent the development of poor clinical outcomes and may be more cost effective compared with intraoperative administration.