International practice heterogeneity in pre-transplant management of pulmonary hypertension related to pediatric left heart disease

• BACKGROUND: Elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in the setting of left heart failure may contribute to poor outcomes after pediatric heart transplant (HTx), but peri-transplant management is variable.METHODS: We sought to characterize international practice by surveying physicians at pediatric HTx centers.RESULTS: We received 49 complete responses from 39 centers in 16 countries. Most respondents are pediatric cardiologists (90%), practice at centers offering heart (86%) and lung (55%) transplant, and perform pre-HTx acute vasoreactivity testing (AVT, 88%) in patients with elevated PVR. Half (51%) reported defining a PVR cutoff for HTx eligibility as ≤6 WU m 2 (56%) post-AVT (84%). The highest post-AVT PVR ever accepted for HTx ranged from 3-14.4 (median 6) WU m 2 . To treat elevated pre-transplant PVR, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are most common (65%) followed by oxygen (31%), nitric oxide (14%), endothelin receptor antagonists (11%), and prostacyclins (6%). Nearly a third (31%) do not routinely use pulmonary vasodilators without implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Case scenarios highlight treatment variability: in a restrictive cardiomyopathy scenario, HTx listing with post-transplant vasodilator therapy was favored, whereas in a Shone's complex patient with fixed PVR, LVAD ± pulmonary vasodilators followed by repeat catheterization was most common. Management of dilated cardiomyopathy with reactive PVR was variable. Most continue vasodilator therapy until HTx (16%), PVR normalizes (16%) or ≤6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Management of elevated PVR in children awaiting HTx is heterogenous. Evidence-based guidelines are needed to allow for longitudinal determination of optimal outcomes and standardized care.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Kardiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Humans

Child

Hypertension, Pulmonary/complications

Heart Transplantation

Heart Failure/complications

Vascular Resistance/physiology

Heart-Assist Devices

Vasodilator Agents

Treatment Outcome

Retrospective Studies

Publikations- och innehållstyp

art (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)