Allosensitization Status Predicts Excess Mortality in Congenital Heart Disease Transplant Recipients in the Current Era: An Analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing Database
Authors: O’Connor Matthew J. , Vu Courtney , Zhang Xuemei , Bennett Laura , Ahmed Humera , Edwards Jonathan J. , Lin Kimberly Y. , Li Yang , Maeda Katsuhide , Marcellus Brooke , Monos Dimitrios , Rossano Joseph W. , Wittlieb-Weber Carol A. , Edelson Jonathan B. 
Published: February 2025

Background

Allosensitization in pediatric heart transplantation (HT) is a challenging problem, with ongoing uncertainty as to optimal management strategy. Patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) have the highest risk of allosensitization and may be at risk for inferior outcomes following HT due to an accumulation of risk factors.

Methods

The United Network for Organ Sharing database was studied for all patients <18 years of age with CHD undergoing HT between April 2015 and December 2020. Patients were grouped into three categories of allosensitization status based on calculated panel reactive antibody (cPRA) obtained closest to the time of HT: nonsensitized (cPRA <10%), moderately sensitized (cPRA 10% - <80%), and highly sensitized (cPRA ≥80%). The primary outcome measures of interest were one-year patient and graft survival following HT. Multivariable analysis was used to control for differences in preoperative clinical characteristics among sensitization categories.

Results

During the study period, 1086 patients with CHD underwent HT at a median of 3 years of age. Nonsensitized patients comprised 70% of the cohort; 22% were moderately sensitized and 9% were highly sensitized. Unadjusted 1-year mortality was 25% in the highly sensitized group compared to 8.7% in the nonsensitized group (P<0.001). After adjustment, highly sensitized patients were >3 times more likely to die within the first year than nonsensitized patients (HR 3.44, 95% CI 2.13 - 5.54, P<0.001). The relationship between cPRA and crossmatch result was also assessed using multivariable regression. A variety of crossmatches were performed, including cytotoxicity and flow cytometry modalities. Regardless of crossmatch result, highly sensitized patients had an increased risk of one-year mortality and graft failure compared to nonsensitized and moderately sensitized patients (HR 3.4, 95% CI 1.98 – 5.84, P<0.001 and HR 3.32, 95% CI 1.94 – 5.67, P<0.001 for one-year mortality and the composite of death or graft failure, respectively).

Conclusions

Highly sensitized patients with CHD undergoing HT in the current era experience 25% 1-year mortality, which is significantly worse than less sensitized or nonsensitized patients. The magnitude of sensitization as reflected by cPRA, is highly predictive of adverse outcomes. These at-risk patients remain in need of more effective therapies for desensitization and management of the consequences of anti-HLA antibodies following HT.

Clinical Perspective

What is New?

Allosensitization to HLA antigens is a common problem in pediatric heart transplantation, and outcomes remain suboptimal in allosensitized patients undergoing heart transplantation. Patients with CHD are at the highest risk of allosensitization.

In the current study, highly sensitized children with CHD undergoing heart transplantation in the current era experience 25% 1-year mortality following heart transplantation, which is significantly higher than in other groups undergoing transplantation.

Allosensitization status, regardless of crossmatch result, independently predicted mortality following heart transplantation in this cohort.

What are the Clinical Implications?

Highly sensitized patients with CHD are much more likely to die in the first year following heart transplantation than less- or nonsensitized patients. They also experience higher rates of rejection, which contributes to morbidity and late mortality.

Many efforts are made to minimize the likelihood of a positive crossmatch at the time of transplantation in order to optimize outcomes. However, the results of this study indicate that allosensitization status is the primary driver of outcomes when both allosensitization status and crossmatch result are taken into account. Therefore, continued development of new therapies for desensitization is warranted.