Establishing a nationwide pediatric heart transplantation program with mid-term results comparable to worldwide data - The Czech experience
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Heart transplantation (HTx) is an established therapeutic option for children with end-stage heart failure. Comprehensive pediatric nationwide HTx program was introduced in 2014 in the Czech Republic.
The aim of this study was to evaluate its mid-term characteristics and outcomes and to compare them with international data. METHODS: Retrospective observational study, including all patients who underwent HTx from June 2014 till December 2022.
Data from the institutional database were used for descriptive statistics and survival analyses. RESULTS: A total of 30 HTx were performed in 29 patients with congenital heart disease (CHD, N = 15, single ventricular physiology in 10 patients) and cardiomyopathy (CMP, N = 14).
Ten patients were bridged to HTx by durable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) for a mean duration of 104 (SD 89) days. There was one early and one late death during median follow-up of 3.3 (IQR 1.3-6.1) years.
Survival probability at 5 years after HTx was 93%. Two patients underwent re-transplantation (one of them in an adult center).
Significant rejection-free survival at 1, 3, and 6 years after HTx was 76%, 63%, and 63%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The introduced pediatric HTx program reflects the complexity of the treated population, with half of the patients having complex CHD and one-third being bridged to HTx by LVADs.
Mid-term results are comparable to worldwide data. The data confirm the possibility of establishing a successful nationwide pediatric HTx program in a relatively small population country with well-developed pediatric cardiovascular care and other transplantation programs.