© 2003 European Society of Cardiology
Reversible pulmonary hypertension in heart transplant candidates—pretransplant evaluation and outcome after orthotopic heart transplantation
a Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Münster Albert-Schweitzer-Street 33, 48149 Münster, Germany
b The Heart Failure Center, Columbia University New York, NY, USA
c Department of Internal Medicine – Angiology/Cardiology, University Hospital Münster Münster, Germany
d Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital Münster Münster, Germany
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +49-251-834-7401; fax: +49-251-834-8316. E-mail address: stefan.klotz{at}thgms.uni-muenster.de
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Abstract |
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Background: Heart transplantation is the most effective treatment for well-selected patients with endstage heart failure. Unfortunately, transplant candidates with pulmonary hypertension (PHT) are often not considered for heart transplantation. This study was performed to assess the value of prostaglandin E1 (PG-E1) for reduction of PHT and to predict the postoperative outcome, compared to patients without PHT.
Patients and methods: We studied a group of 151 consecutive heart transplant candidates using right heart catheterization. In patients with PHT (pulmonary vascular resistance, PVR
2.5 Wood-Units (WU) and/or transpulmonary gradient (TPG)12 mmHg) a short-term treatment protocol with PG-E1 was performed, to achieve PVR<2.5 WU and TPG<12 mmHg.
Results: 61 patients (40%) had PHT according to our criteria. Reduction of PHT was successful in 71% of patients (n=43), of these, 18 patients underwent cardiac transplantation and the 1-year mortality rate was 22% (n=4). The 1-year mortality rate in transplanted patients without PHT was 14% (n=3). There was no statistical difference in survival between the PHT and the non-PHT group. Outcome in patients without heart transplantation was similar in both groups, except for patients with non-reducible PHT (1-year mortality 50%).
Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the efficacy and safety of PG-E1 in lowering PHT in heart transplant candidates, as well as the need for aggressive evaluation and treatment in these patients. Patients with reversible PHT have comparable post-transplant outcomes and no tendency to higher acute right ventricular failure.
Key Words: Orthotopic heart transplantation • Pulmonary hypertension • Prostaglandin
Received June 10, 2002; Revised October 16, 2002; Accepted January 7, 2003
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