Skip to main content

High-Volume Centers Do Not Mitigate Heart Transplant Survival Disparity

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Oct 22, 2024.

via HealthDay

TUESDAY, Oct. 22, 2024 -- Receiving a heart transplant (HT) at high-volume centers (HVCs) does not ameliorate the survival disparity between recipients who are most and least socioeconomically deprived, according to a study published online Sept. 30 in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation.

Sara Sakowitz, M.P.H., from the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues assessed whether treatment at HVCs would mitigate the adverse impact of area deprivation on HT outcomes. The analysis included 38,022 HT recipients identified in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (2005 to 2022).

The researchers found that 20 percent of the recipients were considered most deprived. The most deprived recipients showed inferior survival at three years (hazard ratio, 1.14) and five years after transplantation (hazard ratio, 1.13). Additionally, being most deprived was associated with greater graft failure at three (hazard ratio, 1.14) and five years (hazard ratio, 1.13). Even at HVCs, the most deprived recipients continued to face greater mortality at three and five years.

"Our study demonstrates that access to high-quality centers for cardiac transplantation does not mitigate persistent neighborhood deprivation-based disparities in patient and allograft survival," Sakowitz said in a statement. "Rather, factors outside the immediate posttransplantation period that stem from access to longitudinal care or crucial immunosuppressive medications, appear to be implicated."

Two authors disclosed ties to AtriCure and Edwards LifeSciences.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Urinary Metal Levels Tied to Increased Risk for Later Heart Failure

THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- There are consistent associations between elevated urinary metal levels and increased heart failure risk over time across geographically diverse cohorts...

Higher Temperatures Tied to Increased Probability of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Higher temperatures across the globe are associated with an increased probability of having obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study published...

Tons of Turkey Bacon Products Recalled Due to Possible Listeria Contamination

THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 — Kraft Heinz Foods is recalling some 370,000 pounds of fully cooked turkey bacon products that may be contaminated with listeria, the U.S...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.