Core Concepts
Heart transplant recipients from donors with active COVID-19 have higher mortality rates compared to those from non-COVID donors.
Abstract
The study discusses the impact of using donor hearts with active COVID-19 infection on heart transplant recipients. It highlights the increased risk of mortality associated with heart transplants from donors with active COVID-19 compared to non-COVID donors. The article emphasizes the need for careful evaluation and consideration of risks and benefits when using hearts from COVID-19-infected donors.
- Study cautions against using donor hearts with active COVID-19 for heart transplants.
- Recipients of active COVID-19 donor hearts had higher mortality rates at 6 months and 1 year.
- No clear consensus exists on the evaluation and use of COVID-19 donors for heart transplants.
- Importance of continued evaluation and a nuanced approach towards utilizing donor hearts from COVID-19-infected individuals.
- Need for further studies with larger patient numbers and longer follow-up to assess outcomes of heart transplants from COVID-19-infected donors.
- External perspectives from experts caution about the lack of granular data on viral burden in COVID donors and the need for careful consideration in selecting donor organs.
Stats
"Heart transplantation from an active COVID-19 donor was associated with increased risk for death at 6 months (hazard ratio [HR], 1.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 2.96; P = .043) and 1 year (HR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.22 to 3.22; P =.006) compared with heart transplantation from a non-COVID donor."
"Mortality rates at 6 months and 1 year were 13.8% and 23.2%, respectively, for recipients of active COVID-19 donor hearts, versus 7% and 9.2%, respectively, for recipients of non-COVID-19 donor hearts."
Quotes
"Contrary to two previous reports that found no increased risk of adverse outcomes, the present study noted an increased risk of death associated with the use of hearts from COVID-19-infected patients." - Sean Pinney, MD
"Using a carefully selected organ from a COVID-19 patient may still be in their best interest." - Sean Pinney, MD
"A donor with an active COVID infection is someone that none of us would probably take. But someone with a positive COVID test and a very low virus burden, that is someone that I think most centers would take." - Alex Reyentovich, MD