Retrospective Review of Endomyocardial Complications 8/2019-8/2022

Background:

The reference standard of detecting acute rejection (AR) in adult heart transplant (HTx) patients is an endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). The majority of EMBs are performed in asymptomatic patients. However, the benefit of diagnosing and treating AR compared to the risk of EMB complications has not been compared in the contemporary era (2010-current).

Objectives:

This study compared treated AR and EMB complications in HTx patients.

Methods:

The authors retrospectively analyzed 2,769 EMB obtained in 326 consecutive HTx patients between August 2019 and August 2022. Variables included surveillance versus for cause indication, recipient and donor characteristics, EMB procedural data and pathologic grades, treatment for AR, and clinical outcomes.

Results:

The overall EMB complication rate was 1.6%. EMBs performed within 1 month after HTx compared to after 1 month HTx showed significantly increased complications (OR = 12.74, p < 0.001). The treated AR rate was 14.2% in the for cause EMBs and 1.2% in the surveillance EMBs. We found the benefit/risk ratio was significantly lower in the surveillance compared to the for cause EMB group (OR = 0.05, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

The yield of surveillance EMBs has declined in the contemporary era, while for cause EMBs continued to demonstrate a high benefit/risk ratio. The risk of EMB complications was highest within 1 month after HTx. Surveillance EMB protocols in HTx patients may need to be re-evaluated.