Donor heart dysfunction and graft survival in liver and kidney transplants—A register‐based study from Sweden

Abstract

Background and aimStress cardiomyopathy in donors can potentially affect graft function and longevity. This study aims to investigate the association between echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%, and/or the presence of left ventricular regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) in organ donors, and short‐ and long‐term liver and kidney graft survival. Our secondary aim was to link graft survival with donor and recipient characteristics.MethodsAll donors considered for liver and kidney donation with echocardiographic records at Sahlgrenska University Hospital between 2006 and 2016 were matched with their recipients through the Scandiatransplant register. The studied outcomes were graft survival, re‐transplantation, and recipient death. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to plot time to event. Multivariate Cox‐regression was used to test independence.ResultsThere were 370 liver donors and 312 kidney donors (matched with 458 recipients) with echocardiographic records at Sahlgrenska University Hospital between June 2006 and November 2016. Of patients with LV dysfunction by echocardiography, there were 102 liver‐ and 72 kidney donors. Univariate survival analyses showed no statistical difference in the short‐ and long‐term graft survival from donors with LV dysfunction compared to donors without. Donor age > 65 years, recipient re‐transplantation and recipient liver tumor were predictors of worse outcome in liver transplants (p < .05). Donor age > 65, donor hypertension, recipient re‐transplantation, and a recipient diagnosis of diabetes or nephritis/glomerulonephritis had a negative association with graft survival in kidney transplants (p < .05).ConclusionWe found no significant association between donor LV dysfunction and short‐ and long‐term graft survival in liver and kidney transplants, suggesting that livers and kidneys from such donors can be safely transplanted.