Introduction: Heart transplantation is the treatment of choice in severe heart failure despite maximal medical therapy, which has no other surgical alternatives and exhibiting no contraindications. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of late complications and survival of patients undergoing cardiac transplantation at our Hospital Center.
Methods: We evaluated 78 patients (mean age 43 ± 15 years) transplanted at our center between February 1987 and December 2011, with a mean follow-up of 6 years.
Results: Of late complications after heart transplantation, allograft vascular disease was detected in 10 patients ( 12.8%), was the one with impact on mortality, being responsible for four deaths. The most frequent complication was hypertension in 54.6% of cases, followed by dyslipidemia (47.4%), renal failure (47.4%), diabetes mellitus (21.8%) and neoplasms (11.5%). Atrial tachyarrhythmias was observed in eight patients (10.3%). The overall survival of our population at first and tenth year after heart transplantation was 81% and 69%, respectively. The mean survival of patients was 15.6 years (Cl 95%: [12,6-18,7]).. There were 23 deaths (29.5%), nine (11.5%) of which occurred within the first 30 days after transplantation.
Conclusion: Cardiac transplantation remains a valid therapeutic option for patients with end-stage heart disease. Our center had a heart transplant survival rate and incidence of late complications similar to those seen in international registries.