Infectious Complications in 71 Heart Transplant Recipients at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand
1Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 2Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, 3Excellent Center for Organ Transplantation, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, 4Cardiothoracic Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, 5Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
Meeting: 2019 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: A360
Keywords: Heart transplant patients, Infection
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session A: Transplant Infectious Diseases
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2019
Session Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
Presentation Time: 5:30pm-7:30pm
Location: Hall C & D
*Purpose: Infections have been known as one of the major complication associated with morbidity and mortality especially in the first year following orthotropic heart transplantation (OHT). Types of infection depend upon timing after transplantation, immunosuppressive regimens and location of transplant center. While current available information is mainly from developed country, data of infectious complications among heart transplant recipient in developing country remains scarce.
*Methods: A retrospective, single center, descriptive study was conducted in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. We collected data on demographic, incidence, type of infectious complications and outcomes in patients who underwent OHT between Jan 1987 to Nov 2017. All infectious complications were microbiologically proven and required antimicrobial treatment.
*Results: A total of 71 patients underwent OHT during that period of time and had complete available data. The mean age of the patient was 39.5 (4 – 67) years. Seventy-five episodes of proven infectious complications occurred in 43 patients (61%) within 1 year after OHT (1.06 infectious episodes per patient per year). The most common etiologic agents were bacteria in 33 episodes (44%) followed by virus in 32 episodes (43%) and fungus in 10 episodes (13%). Nineteen patients died within 1 year after transplant. Infections and graft failure/rejection were the most common cause of death which accounted for 58% and 21%, respectively. Infectious complications were the leading cause of death within 30 days (54%) and after 30 days (67%). One-year mortality rate was found to be significantly higher among transplant recipients with infectious complications (p=0.004). After the first year, 12 infectious episodes occurred which leaded to mortality result in 2 patients. Bacteria caused 9 infectious episodes including Gram-negative (6), Gram-positive (1) and tuberculosis (2). Another 3 episodes caused by respiratory viruses including influenza (2) and respiratory syncytial virus (1).
*Conclusions: Infectious complications are the major problem and significantly affected survival rate among heart transplant recipient. Types of Infection are similar to previous studies from developed country.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Sangpornsuk N, Wanichwatphibun J, Ariyachaipanich A, Ongcharit P, Jutivorakool K, Vanichanan J. Infectious Complications in 71 Heart Transplant Recipients at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2019; 19 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/infectious-complications-in-71-heart-transplant-recipients-at-king-chulalongkorn-memorial-hospital-thailand/. Accessed May 17, 2025.« Back to 2019 American Transplant Congress