Outcome of heart transplantation in patients with amyloid cardiomyopathy

Background: We retrospectively reviewed the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database to assess the survival of patients with amyloidosis who were treated by heart transplantation. Methods: Over a 15-year period, 69 patients had received orthotopic heart transplants and were entered into the database with the diagnosis of amyloidosis. The cohort consisted of 38 men and 31 women. Mean age was 51 years. Results: There were 5 operative deaths and 29 late deaths at a mean follow-up of 40 months. Nine patients died of amyloid-related complications, and one developed graft vasculopathy and was retransplanted. Conclusions: Survival was influenced by recipient's sex (1-year survival 84% for men vs 64% for women, p = 0.003) but not by transplant era, ischemia time, or UNOS status.