Outcomes of Heart Transplantation in Cardiac Amyloidosis Patients: A Single Center Experience
Qiudong Chen, J. Moriguchi, Ryan Levine, Joshua L. Chan, S. Dimbil, J. Patel, M. Kittleson, Dominick Megna, Dominic Emerson, Danny Ramzy, Alfredo Trento, Joanna Chikwe, Jon Kobashigawa, F. Esmailian
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Indications for heart transplantation are expanding to include amyloid light chain (AL) and transthyretin-related (TTR) amyloidosis. Previously, AL amyloid had been a contraindication to heart transplantation given inferior outcomes. These patients typically have biventricular failure requiring mechanical circulatory support (MCS). We report the outcomes of patients with end-stage cardiac amyloidosis who underwent cardiac transplantation, including some who were bridged to transplantation with a durable biventricular MCS METHODS: The records for patients with cardiac amyloidosis who underwent cardiac transplant between 2010 and 2018 were reviewed. Primary endpoint was post-transplant 1-year survival. Secondary endpoints included 1-year freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy (as defined by stenosis ≥ 30% by angiography), nonfatal major adverse cardiac events (myocardial infarction, new congestive heart failure, percutaneous coronary intervention, implantable cardioverter defibrillator/pacemaker implant, stroke), and any rejection. RESULTS: A total of 46 patients received heart transplantation with a diagnosis of either AL or TTR amyloidosis. Of these, 7 patients were bridged to transplantation with a durable biventricular MCS device (6 AL, 1 TTR) and 39 patients were transplanted without MCS bridging. The MCS group consisted of 5 total artificial hearts and 2 biventricular assist devices. The 1-year survival was 91% for the entire cohort, 83% for those with AL amyloidosis, 94% for those with TTR amyloidosis, and 86% for those who received MCS bridging. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac transplantation can be safely performed in selected amyloidosis patients with reasonable short-term outcomes. Those bridged to transplantation with biventricular MCS appear to have short-term outcomes similar to those transplanted without MCS. Larger numbers and longer observation are required to confirm these findings.