BACKGROUND: More evidence is needed to assess the pros and cons of maintaining age-limit policies in heart transplantation (HT). METHODS: We analyzed clinical data from a heart failure management unit to investigate the impact of age on prognosis of two distinct cohorts: (i) 309 patients (median age, 57 yr; 62% male) with severe chronic heart failure (CHF) consecutively screened for HT; (ii) 336 HT recipients (median age 56 yr, 82% male). RESULTS: In CHF patients (screened for HT), prognosis was conditioned by the underlying severity of cardiac disease (i.e., New York Heart Association class III-IV, decreasing blood pressure, presence of atrial fibrillation and severe mitral regurgitation), whereas increasing age showed no sign of predicting all-cause or cardiovascular mortality (both p > or = 0.4). In HT recipients, age did not retain significance at multivariate analysis as an independent predictor (p > or = 0.14 for both all-cause and cardiovascular death), whereas ischemic etiology of pre-existing CHF did (p < or = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Age did not appear to be a primary determinant of all-cause or cardiovascular mortality among potential HT candidates or eventual recipients (ischemic etiology of CHF turned out to be the major determinant of post-transplant outcome). These results support the concept that HT may be considered a treatment option in patients with more advanced age strata, particularly when affected by non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Grigioni F., Potena L., Barbieri A., Bianchi G., Reggianini L., Russo A, et al. (2008). Age and heart transplantation: results from a heart failure management unit. CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, 22, 150-155 [10.1111/j.1399-0012.2007.00759.x].

Age and heart transplantation: results from a heart failure management unit.

GRIGIONI, FRANCESCO;RUSSO, ANTONIO;ARPESELLA, GIORGIO;RAPEZZI, CLAUDIO;BRANZI, ANGELO
2008

Abstract

BACKGROUND: More evidence is needed to assess the pros and cons of maintaining age-limit policies in heart transplantation (HT). METHODS: We analyzed clinical data from a heart failure management unit to investigate the impact of age on prognosis of two distinct cohorts: (i) 309 patients (median age, 57 yr; 62% male) with severe chronic heart failure (CHF) consecutively screened for HT; (ii) 336 HT recipients (median age 56 yr, 82% male). RESULTS: In CHF patients (screened for HT), prognosis was conditioned by the underlying severity of cardiac disease (i.e., New York Heart Association class III-IV, decreasing blood pressure, presence of atrial fibrillation and severe mitral regurgitation), whereas increasing age showed no sign of predicting all-cause or cardiovascular mortality (both p > or = 0.4). In HT recipients, age did not retain significance at multivariate analysis as an independent predictor (p > or = 0.14 for both all-cause and cardiovascular death), whereas ischemic etiology of pre-existing CHF did (p < or = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Age did not appear to be a primary determinant of all-cause or cardiovascular mortality among potential HT candidates or eventual recipients (ischemic etiology of CHF turned out to be the major determinant of post-transplant outcome). These results support the concept that HT may be considered a treatment option in patients with more advanced age strata, particularly when affected by non-ischemic cardiomyopathy.
2008
Grigioni F., Potena L., Barbieri A., Bianchi G., Reggianini L., Russo A, et al. (2008). Age and heart transplantation: results from a heart failure management unit. CLINICAL TRANSPLANTATION, 22, 150-155 [10.1111/j.1399-0012.2007.00759.x].
Grigioni F.; Potena L.; Barbieri A.; Bianchi G.; Reggianini L.; Russo A; Fallani F.; Magnani G.; Coccolo F.; Arpesella G.; Rapezzi C.; Modena M.G.; B...espandi
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/60848
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