title: Effect of donor selection on the early outcome of heart transplant recipients.
abstract: Recipients receiving heart transplants from 83 donors from 1995 to 2002 were analyzed to evaluate the effect of various donor factors on recipient outcomes. The 83 donors (13 women and 70 men; 2-51 years old) had cold ischemic times ranging between 55 and 287 minutes. Donor age, cause of death, inotropic support, and cold ischemic times of the hearts were compared to 1-year left ventricular ejection fraction, permanent pacemaker dependency, 30-day mortality, and 1-year survival in the recipients. Donors receiving low-dose inotropic support resulted in recipients with permanent pacemaker dependency in 14.8%, and 30-day mortality and 1-year survival rates of 7.4% and 70.3%, respectively. Donors not receiving inotropic support resulted in recipients with permanent pacemaker dependency in 3.5%, and 30-day mortality and 1-year survival of 3.5% and 83.9%, respectively. Cold ischemic times less than or equal to 120 minutes showed 30-day mortality and 1-year survival rates of 0% and 90.9%, respectively. Cold ischemic times equal to or more than 121 minutes showed 30-day mortality and 1-year survival rates of 8% and 76%, respectively. Increased donor age (P=.22) and cold ischemic time showed an increase in mortality without affecting mean ejection fraction in survivors. Use of inotropic support in donors (P=.95) showed an increase in mortality without affecting mean ejection fraction in survivors.
authors.affiliation: Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: Alexia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michaelides
authors.forename: Willie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D046148:Donor Selection; D005260:Female; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome