[Experience in donor-recipient gender mismatching heart transplantation: analysis of seven female patients receiving male donor hearts].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the experience in donor-recipient gender mismatching heart transplantation.


METHODS
Seven female patients with end-stage cardiopathy aged 13 approximately 44, underwent orthotopic transplantation of hearts from male donors. Fine-tuning immunosuppressive protocols were adopted: Stanford classic therapy was applied on 3 cases and immunosupression induction therapy was applied on 4 cases. The clinical outcomes were observed for an average of 20 months (5 approximately 54 months).


RESULTS
No acute reject reaction was found in all 7 cases within 3 months postoperatively. The earliest 2 patients died of refractory rejection 38 and 34 months postoperatively due to immunosuppressive withdrawal because of financial difficulty. The other 5 cases resumed their normal work and daily life. No allograft dysfunction, severe opportunistic infection episodes, and injury of liver and kidney functions were found in all cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Fine-tuning immunosuppressive protocols improve the short-term and long-term clinical effects of donor-recipient gender mismatching heart transplantation.
Huang
Xue-shan
XS
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, China. drhxs@163.com
Chen
Dao-zhong
DZ
Chen
Liang-wan
LW
Lin
Feng
F
Weng
Qin-yong
QY
Qiu
Han-fan
HF
Huang
Zhong-yao
ZY
Liao
Chong-xian
CX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012737:Sex Factors; D014019:Tissue Donors; D016896:Treatment Outcome