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Warner ED, Pritting C, Dutta S, Bierowski M, Ullah W, Brailovsky Y, Kittleson M, Alvarez RJ, Rame JE, Hajduczok A, Kumar V, Ahmad D, Tchantchaleishvili V, Rajapreyar IN. The impact of the OPTN policy change on patients with a durable left ventricular assist device and chronic kidney disease: Analysis of the UNOS database. Artif Organs 2024. [PMID: 38803277 DOI: 10.1111/aor.14770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) implemented modifications in 2018 to the adult heart transplant allocation system to better stratify the most medically urgent transplant candidates. We evaluated the impact of these changes on patients supported by a durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) with chronic kidney disease (CKD). OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of the OPTN policy change on patients supported by durable left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS We performed an analysis of patients from the United Network of Organ Sharing Database supported by durable LVAD listed for a heart transplant (HT) between October 17, 2016 and September 30, 2021. Patients were divided into two groups: pre- and postpolicy, depending on whether they were listed on or prior to October 17, 2018. Patients who were on dialysis prior to surgery or discharge were excluded from the analysis. Patients with simultaneous heart and kidney transplants were excluded. Patients who were listed for transplant prepolicy change but transplanted postpolicy change were excluded. This cohort was then subdivided into degrees of CKD based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), which resulted in 678 patients (23.7%) in Stage 1 (GFR ≥89.499) (Prepolicy: 345, Postpolicy: 333), 1233 (43.1%) in Stage 2 (89.499 > GFR ≥ 59.499) (Prepolicy: 618, Postpolicy: 615), 613 (21.4%) in Stage 3a (59.499 > GFR ≥ 44.499) (Prepolicy: 291, Postpolicy: 322), 294 (10.3%) in Stage 3b (44.499 > GFR ≥ 29.499) (Prepolicy: 143, Postpolicy: 151), 36 (1.3%) in Stage 4 (29.499 > GFR ≥ 15) (Prepolicy: 21, Postpolicy: 15), and 9 (0.3%) in Stage 5 (15 > GFR) (Prepolicy: 4, Postpolicy: 5). The primary outcome was 1-year and 2-year post-HT survival. RESULTS There were 2863 patients who met the study criteria (1422 prepolicy, 1441 postpolicy). Overall survival, regardless of CKD stage, was lower following the policy change (p < 0.01). There was a similar risk of primary graft failure (PGF) in the pre- and postpolicy period (1.8% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.26). 1-year overall survival was 93% (91, 94) and 89% (87, 91) in the pre- and postpolicy periods, respectively. 2-year overall survival was 89% (88, 91) and 85% (82, 87) in the pre- and postpolicy periods, respectively. For CKD Stages 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4, and 5, 1 -year survival was 93% (91, 95), 92% (90,93), 89% (86, 91), 89% (86, 93), 80% (68, 94), and 100% (100, 100), respectively. For CKD Stages 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4, and 5, 2-year survival was 91% (88, 93), 88% (86, 90), 84% (81, 88), 84% (80, 89), 73% (59, 90), and 100% (100, 100), respectively. Patients with CKD 1 and 2 had better survival compared to those with CKD 3 (p < 0.01) and CKD 4 and 5 (p = 0.03) in the pre- and postpolicy periods. Patients with CKD 3 did not have a survival advantage over those with CKD 4 and 5 (p = 0.25). On cox regression analysis, advancing degrees of CKD were associated with an increased risk of mortality. CONCLUSIONS Patients with LVAD support had decreased overall survival after the OPTN policy change. Patients with more advanced CKD had lower survival than patients without advanced CKD, though they were not impacted by the OPTN policy change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Warner
- Department of Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christopher Pritting
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sawan Dutta
- Department of Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Matthew Bierowski
- Department of Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Waqas Ullah
- Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yevgeniy Brailovsky
- Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michelle Kittleson
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rene J Alvarez
- Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - J Eduardo Rame
- Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alexander Hajduczok
- Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Vineeta Kumar
- Department of Nephrology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Danial Ahmad
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Indranee N Rajapreyar
- Division of Cardiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Singh SK, Hassanein M, Ning Y, Wang C, Kurlansky P, Clerkin K, Sayer G, Uriel N, Takeda K. Increasing waiting times for status 2 patients in new United Network for Organ Sharing allocation system: Impact on waitlist and posttransplant outcomes. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2024; 167:535-543.e3. [PMID: 37330208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2023.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Since the heart transplant allocation policy change in 2018, there has been an increase in temporary mechanical circulatory support for Status 2 patients. We sought to examine the temporal pattern of waitlist and posttransplant outcomes for Status 2 patients. METHODS Adult patients in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry who were listed as Status 2 from January 2019 to June 2022 were included. Temporal trends in waitlist time, waitlist events, and posttransplant outcomes were assessed. Probability of transplant or death after being listed was compared over time. Multivariable regression was performed to identify risk factors for mortality after transplant. RESULTS A total of 6310 patients were included. From 2019 to 2022, the number of Status 2 patients listed increased from 4.2 to 5.9 per day. Microaxial ventricular assist devices at Status 2 listing increased over time (P < .001). During the study period, median waitlist time (18 days vs 23 days, P < .001) as well as Status 2 days (8 days vs 12 days, P < .001) increased. Waitlist mortality remained stable (5.5%); however, probability of transplant within 90 days of Status 2 listing progressively declined (P < .001). Finally, longer waitlist duration was independently associated with 30-day posttransplant mortality (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.01, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS Since the allocation policy change there has been a steady rise in the number of patients listed for Status 2. This has led to increasing waitlist times and lower probability of transplantation for Status 2 patients, which may have negative consequences for posttransplant outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer K Singh
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Mohamed Hassanein
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Yuming Ning
- Center for Innovation and Outcomes Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Chunhui Wang
- Center for Innovation and Outcomes Research, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Paul Kurlansky
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Kevin Clerkin
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Gabriel Sayer
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Nir Uriel
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Koji Takeda
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY.
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Schlendorf KH, Hsich EM. Heart-kidney transplantation: Is 2 really better than 1? J Heart Lung Transplant 2023; 42:1543-1545. [PMID: 37541405 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eileen M Hsich
- Heart and Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
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Francke M, Wolfson AM, Fong MW, Nattiv J, Pandya K, Kawaguchi ES, Villalon S, Mroz M, Sertic A, Cochran A, Ackerman MA, Melendrez M, Cartus R, Johnston KA, Okonkwo K, Ferrall J, DePasquale EC, Lee R, Vaidya AS. New UNOS allocation system associated with no added benefit in waitlist outcomes and worse post-transplant survival in heart-kidney patients. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023; 42:1529-1542. [PMID: 37394021 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 2018 United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) heart transplant policy change (PC) sought to improve waitlist risk stratification to decrease waitlist mortality and promote geographically broader sharing for high-acuity patients awaiting heart transplantation. Our analysis sought to determine the effect of the UNOS PC on outcomes in patients waiting for, or who have received, a heart-kidney transplantation. METHODS We analyzed adult (≥18 years old), first-time, heart-only and heart-kidney transplant candidates and recipients from the UNOS Registry. Patients were divided into pre-PC (PRE: October 18, 2016-May 30, 2018) and post-PC (POST: October 18, 2018-May 30, 2020) groups for comparison. Competing risks analysis (subdistribution and cause-specific hazards analyses) was performed to assess for differences in waitlist death/deterioration or heart transplantation. One-year post-transplant survival was assessed with Kaplan-Meier and Cox analyses. We included an interaction term (policy era × heart ± kidney) in our analyses to evaluate the effect of PC on outcomes in heart-kidney patients. RESULTS One-year post-transplant survival was similar (p = 0.83) for PRE heart-kidney and heart-only recipients, but worse (p < 0.001) for POST heart-kidney vs heart-only recipients. There was a policy-era interaction between heart-kidney and heart-only recipients (HR 1.92[1.04,3.55], p = 0.038) indicating a detrimental effect of policy on 1-year survival in POST vs PRE heart-kidney recipients. No added beneficial effect of PC on waitlist outcomes in heart-kidney vs heart-only candidates was observed. CONCLUSIONS There was no added policy-era benefit on waitlist outcomes for heart-kidney candidates when compared to heart-only candidates. POST heart-kidney recipients experienced worse 1-year survival compared to PRE heart-kidney recipients with no policy effect on heart-only recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Francke
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Aaron M Wolfson
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
| | - Michael W Fong
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jonathan Nattiv
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kruti Pandya
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Eric S Kawaguchi
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sylvia Villalon
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mark Mroz
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ashley Sertic
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ashley Cochran
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mary Alice Ackerman
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Marie Melendrez
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Rachel Cartus
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kori Ann Johnston
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kamso Okonkwo
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Joel Ferrall
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Eugene C DePasquale
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Raymond Lee
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; USC CardioVascular Institute, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ajay S Vaidya
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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Vaidya AS, Lee ES, Kawaguchi ES, DePasquale EC, Pandya KA, Fong MW, Nattiv J, Villalon S, Sertic A, Cochran A, Ackerman MA, Melendrez M, Cartus R, Johnston KA, Lee R, Wolfson AM. Effect of the UNOS policy change on rates of rejection, infection, and hospital readmission following heart transplantation. J Heart Lung Transplant 2023; 42:1415-1424. [PMID: 37211332 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 2018 adult heart allocation policy sought to improve waitlist risk stratification, reduce waitlist mortality, and increase organ access. This system prioritized patients at greatest risk for waitlist mortality, especially individuals requiring temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS). Posttransplant complications are significantly higher in patients on tMCS before transplantation, and early posttransplant complications impact long-term mortality. We sought to determine if policy change affected early posttransplant complication rates of rejection, infection, and hospitalization. METHODS We included all adult, heart-only, single-organ heart transplant recipients from the UNOS registry with pre-policy (PRE) individuals transplanted between November 1, 2016, and October 31, 2017, and post-policy (POST) between November 1, 2018, and October 31, 2019. We used a multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess the effect of policy change on posttransplant rejection, infection, and hospitalization. Two COVID-19 eras (2019-2020, 2020-2021) were included in our analysis. RESULTS The majority of baseline characteristics were comparable between PRE and POST era recipients. The odds of treated rejection (p = 0.8), hospitalization (p = 0.69), and hospitalization due to rejection (p = 0.76) and infection (p = 0.66) were similar between PRE and POST eras; there was a trend towards reduced odds of rejection (p = 0.08). In both COVID eras, there was a clear reduction in rejection and treated rejection with no effect on hospitalization for rejection or infection. Odds of all-cause hospitalization was increased in both COVID eras. CONCLUSIONS The UNOS policy change improves access to heart transplantation for higher acuity patients without increasing early posttransplant rates of treated rejection or hospitalization for rejection or infection, factors which portend risk for long-term posttransplant mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay S Vaidya
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
| | - Emily S Lee
- Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Eric S Kawaguchi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Eugene C DePasquale
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kruti A Pandya
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Michael W Fong
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Jonathan Nattiv
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Sylvia Villalon
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ashley Sertic
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Ashley Cochran
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Mary Alice Ackerman
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Marie Melendrez
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Rachel Cartus
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Kori Ann Johnston
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Raymond Lee
- Keck Medical Center of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Aaron M Wolfson
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; Department of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
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