We have performed 21 cases of heart transplantation at our institution. We retrospectively reviewed the complications and its incidence in those post transplant course.
Methods: Twenty-one heart transplant recipients (aged at transplant 14 to 61 year old, 16 male and 5 female, observation period: 4 to 99 months) were retrospectively reviewed. Transplant coronary artery disease (TxCAD) was defined as existence of severer than Stanford class IV maximum intimal thickness seen by intra-coronary ultrasound at their annual evaluation. The incidence of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, renal dysfunction and malignancy were also reviewed.
Result: One patient died after 4.3 year posttransplant due to systemic infections. Eight patients (38.1%) developed TxCAD, 4 patients (19%) developed hypertension, 2 patients (9.5%) developed diabetes, 1 patient (4.8%) developed hyperlipidemia. Renal insufficiency defined as serum creatinine level of greater than 1.5 mg/dl was seen in 2 patients (9.5%), however none of them showed severe renal dysfunction such as serum creatinine level of greater than 2.0 mg/dl or requiring dialysis. No malignancy was seen in our patients. Cellular rejection episodes requiring admission for treatment were seen in 3.1% of all biopsies performed.
Conclusions: Survival rate of our cardiac transplant recipients was 95.2% at 8.3 years. TxCADs and renal insufficiency were seen in 38% and 9.5% of our patients respectively, however the incidences of these complications were lower than those in ISHLT 2006 registry. Even in Japan, long-term survivors after cardiac transplantation are increasing. Maintenance of not only the cardiac function but also other organ function is required in post transplant care.