Factors influencing the survival of recipients after heart transplantation: a five-year retrospective study
Factors influencing the survival of recipients after heart transplantation: a five-year retrospective study

Summary/Abstract: Introduction: Cardiac transplantation remains the standard procedure for patients with end-stage heart failure. Assessing the outcomes of heart transplantation, including mortality and its predictors, is highly important for transplant centers. The aim of this study is to explore the possible influence of the quality of life, depressive symptoms, optimism, self-efficacy, and medical data on survival among heart transplant recipients over a five-year observational period. Material and methods: 131 heart transplant recipients were included in this study. Psychological functioning and quality of life were assessed using self-reported measures (Beck Depression Inventory, Life Orientation Test, General Self Efficacy Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life). Clinical data were obtained from an electronic health record. Results: During a median follow-up of five years, 24% of patients died. The occurrence of vascular graft disease increased the risk of death twofold in the population studied (HR = 2.17 [1.066, 14.446], p = 0.032). In the patients diagnosed with heart failure on the NYHA scale, the risk of death for patients with a NYHA rating of II–IV was twice as high (HR = 2.18 [1.043, 4.578], p = 0.037) compared with a NYHA rating of I. Conclusions: Neither the quality of life nor psychological factors were associated with five-year survival. Only coronary artery vasculopathy and having a higher NYHA scale rating following heart transplantation were independently predictive of five-year mortality among heart transplant recipients.

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