title: [Prevalence of late complications and survival of patients undergoing cardiac transplantation: a single-center experience].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart transplantation is the treatment of choice in severe heart failure despite maximal medical therapy, which has no other surgical alternatives and exhibiting no contraindications. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of late complications and survival of patients undergoing cardiac transplantation at our Hospital Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 78 patients (mean age 43 ± 15 years) transplanted at our center between February 1987 and December 2011, with a mean follow-up of 6 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of late complications after heart transplantation, allograft vascular disease was detected in 10 patients ( 12.8%), was the one with impact on mortality, being responsible for four deaths. The most frequent complication was hypertension in 54.6% of cases, followed by dyslipidemia (47.4%), renal failure (47.4%), diabetes mellitus (21.8%) and neoplasms (11.5%). Atrial tachyarrhythmias was observed in eight patients (10.3%). The overall survival of our population at first and tenth year after heart transplantation was 81% and 69%, respectively. The mean survival of patients was 15.6 years (Cl 95%: [12,6-18,7]).. There were 23 deaths (29.5%), nine (11.5%) of which occurred within the first 30 days after transplantation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac transplantation remains a valid therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart disease. Our center had a heart transplant survival rate and incidence of late complications similar to those seen in international registries.
authors: Serviço de Cardiologia e Centro de Cirurgia Cardio-Torácica do Hospital de São João e Faculdade de Medicina da Universidae do Porto.
authors: Ana Carolina
authors: AC
authors: Araújo
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Amorim
authors: Vânia
authors: V
authors: Ribeiro
authors: Filipa
authors: F
authors: Melão
authors: J Pinheiro
authors: JP
authors: Torres
authors: J Silva
authors: JS
authors: Cardoso
authors: Paulo
authors: P
authors: Pinho
authors: M Júlia
authors: MJ
authors: Maciel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult