PPCM and heart transplant

Q: Patients with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) who undergo heart transplant have better outcomes than the comparison group.

A) True

B) False

Answer: B

Unfortunately, patients who have been transplanted for PPCM have worse outcomes compared with other cardiac transplant recipients, with higher one-year, 5-year, and 10-year mortality, higher rejection, poorer graft survival, and higher re-transplantation rates. The underlying factors are higher allo-sensitization and higher pre-transplant acuity. 

#transplantation

#cardiology

#Ob-gyn

Reference:

1. Kwon JH, Tedford RJ, Ramu B, et al. Heart Transplantation for Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Outcomes Over 3 Decades. Ann Thorac Surg 2022; 114:650.