Type of Caregiver and Outcome After Mechanical Circulatory Support Placement
Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA.
Meeting: 2015 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: C182
Keywords: Artificial heart, Quality of life, Ventricular assist devices
Session Information
Session Name: Poster Session C: "Loss of Breath": VADs and Other Pre-Heart Transplant Matters
Session Type: Poster Session
Date: Monday, May 4, 2015
Session Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Presentation Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall E
Purpose: Caregiver support following mechanical circulatory support (MCS) implantation is key to good outcomes. The caregiver support can come from a spouse, parent, other relative, friends, or adult children. It is not known as to whether any type of caregiver has benefit over the other. Therefore we assessed our MCS patients and their 6- month outcomes based on the type of caregiver.
Methods: Patients were divided into those with caregivers who were spouses (n=39), parents (n=13), other relative (n=8), friend (n=4), and adult children (n=10). 6-Month readmission rates were assessed among all groups. Readmissions were further stratified into readmissions for stroke, gastrointestinal bleed, infection, and renal dysfunction and assessed among all groups.
Results: 6-Month readmissions following MCS placement was not significantly different among the 5 caregiver groups. Further division of readmissions by cause also yielded no significant difference between the caregiver groups. (See table)
| Endpoints | Spouse (n=39) | Parent (n=13) | Other family (n=8) | Friend (n=4) | Adult Child (n=10) | Log-Rank P-Value |
| 6-Month Freedom from Readmission | 54.4% | 38.5% | 75.0% | 25.0% | 68.6% | 0.227 |
| 6-Month Freedom from Stroke Readmission | 100.0 | 90.9% | 100.0 | 100.0 | 85.7% | 0.278 |
| 6-Month Freedom from GI Bleed Readmission | 84.7% | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 0.837 |
| 6-Month Freedom from Infection Readmission | 84.7% | 76.9% | 87.5% | 75.0% | 80.0% | 0.112 |
| 6-Month Freedom from Renal Dysfunction Readmission | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | >0.999 |
Conclusion: The specific type of caregiver support does not appear to differ in post-MCS implant readmissions and complications. Dedication and attentiveness to the patient appears paramount for good patient outcome.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Henry H, Arabia F, Kittleson M, Czer L, Passano E, Yabuno J, Siddiqui S, Antifantis E, Chang D, Kobashigawa J. Type of Caregiver and Outcome After Mechanical Circulatory Support Placement [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2015; 15 (suppl 3). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/type-of-caregiver-and-outcome-after-mechanical-circulatory-support-placement/. Accessed July 15, 2025.« Back to 2015 American Transplant Congress