Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Cardiac Transplant Network Position Statement on Heart Transplantation: Patient Eligibility, Selection, and Post-Transplantation Care

Can J Cardiol. 2020 Mar;36(3):335-356 doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2019.12.025.
Abstract

Significant practice-changing developments have occurred in the care of heart transplantation candidates and recipients over the past decade. This Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Cardiac Transplant Network Position Statement provides evidence-based, expert panel recommendations with values and preferences, and practical tips on: (1) patient selection criteria; (2) selected patient populations; and (3) post transplantation surveillance. The recommendations were developed through systematic review of the literature and using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The evolving areas of importance addressed include transplant recipient age, frailty assessment, pulmonary hypertension evaluation, cannabis use, combined heart and other solid organ transplantation, adult congenital heart disease, cardiac amyloidosis, high sensitization, and post-transplantation management of antibodies to human leukocyte antigen, rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy, and long-term noncardiac care. Attention is also given to Canadian-specific management strategies including the prioritization of highly sensitized transplant candidates (status 4S) and heart organ allocation algorithms. The focus topics in this position statement highlight the increased complexity of patients who undergo evaluation for heart transplantation as well as improved patient selection, and advances in post-transplantation management and surveillance that have led to better long-term outcomes for heart transplant recipients.

Metadata
Organisation: Chih, Sharon. University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: schih@ottawaheart.ca. McDonald, Michael. Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dipchand, Anne. Labatt Family Heart Centre, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Kim, Daniel. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Ducharme, Anique. Institut de Cardiologie de Montreal, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Kaan, Annemarie. St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Abbey, Susan. Centre for Mental Health, University Health Network and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toma, Mustafa. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Anderson, Kim. Halifax Infirmary, Department of Medicine-Cardiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Davey, Ryan. University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Mielniczuk, Lisa. University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Campbell, Patricia. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Zieroth, Shelley. University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Bourgault, Christine. Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Quebec, Quebec, Quebec. Badiwala, Mitesh. Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network and Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Clarke, Brian. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Belanger, Eric. University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Carrier, Michel. Department of Surgery, Montreal Heart Institute, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Conway, Jennifer. Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Doucette, Karen. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Giannetti, Nadia. McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Isaac, Debra. University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. MacArthur, Rod. University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Senechal, Mario. Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Quebec (IUCPQ), Universite Laval, Laval, Quebec, Canada.
Funding: Funding not described
Publication type: Guideline
Organ: Heart; Liver; Lung; Heart/Lung; Various
Language: English
MeSH terms: Aftercare; Decision Trees; Eligibility Determination; Heart Transplantation; Humans; Patient Selection; Liver Transplantation; Lung Transplantation; Heart-Lung Transplantation