James A. Fitts

Pediatric Post-Transplant Diabetes: Data From a Large Cohort of Pediatric Heart-Transplant Recipients

A retrospective analysis of 381 pediatric heart‐transplant recipients was performed to determine the frequency, characteristics, and risk factors for post‐transplant diabetes. The rate of post‐transplant diabetes was 1.8% with antithymocyte globulin, cyclosporine and azathioprine as primary immunosuppressive therapy. Time from transplant to diabetes was 0.25–13 years. Diabetes was characterized by reversibility, and lack of insulinopenia and autoimmunity. The post‐transplant diabetes rate in tacrolimus‐converted children (n = 45) was 8.8%. In tacrolimus‐converted children, age at transplant, mean and maximum tacrolimus blood levels, and first‐year rejection episodes were higher in the post‐transplant diabetes group, which also consistently had DR‐mismatched transplants and HLA DR3/DR4 haplotypes. Body mass index was not different between diabetic and control tacrolimus‐converted children. In conclusion, pediatric post‐transplant diabetes may be related to reversible insulin resistance. Tacrolimus levels, HLA DR mismatch, and older age at transplant may predispose to post‐transplant diabetes.

Usefulness of cardiac transplantation in children with visceral heterotaxy (asplenic and polysplenic syndromes and single right-sided spleen with levocardia) and comparison of results with cardiac transplantation in children with dilated cardiomyopathy

Surgical mortality is high in children with visceral heterotaxy (VH), particularly if atrioventricular valve insufficiency, ventricular dysfunction, or aortic atresia is present. This study reviews the outcome of cardiac transplantation (CT) in infants and children with VH and congenital heart disease who are at high risk for standard palliative or corrective surgery. We reviewed CT outcomes in 29 children with VH, congenital heart disease, atrioventricular valve insufficiency, ventricular dysfunction, and/or aortic atresia. Median age at CT was 3.1 years. Cardiac surgery had been performed in 20 patients (69%) before CT. Follow-up since CT has been 8.5 ± 2.2 years. Outcomes were compared with 45 children who underwent transplantation for dilated cardiomyopathy. Actuarial graft survival in the VH group at 30 days and 1, 5, and 10 years was 100%, 86%, 68%, and 50%, respectively, compared with 100%, 96%, 83%, and 68% in children who underwent transplantation for dilated cardiomyopathy (p = 0.12). Splenic status, cardiac position, age at CT, number of prior cardiac surgeries, or systemic venous anomalies were not predictors of mortality after CT. Cardiopulmonary bypass and graft ischemic times were longer in the VH group; time on the ventilator after CT, length of hospitalization, and rejection, infection, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, and transplant coronary artery disease rates were equal. Thus, CT is a viable alternative therapy for high-risk patients with VH, possibly offering improved survival over standard surgical management.

Calcineurin inhibitor minimization using sirolimus leads to improved renal function in pediatric heart transplant recipients.

Chinnock TJ, Shankel T, Deming D, Cutler D, Sahney S, Fitts J, Chinnock RE. Calcineurin inhibitor minimization using sirolimus leads to improved renal function in pediatric heart transplant recipients.
Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: 746–749.

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy in pediatric heart transplant recipients

Metabolic parameters for coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) have not been well defined in children. CAV (by angiography or autopsy) was studied in 337 heart recipients on a cyclosporine‐based steroid‐sparing regimen. Freedom from CAV for all was 79% at 10 years. Fifty‐nine patients (18%) developed CAV at a mean of 6.5 ± 3 years post‐transplant. First year rejections were significantly higher in CAV, mean 2.3 vs. 1.4, P = 0.003, odds ratio (OR) 1.8. Rejection with hemodynamic compromise beyond 1 year post‐transplant was associated with CAV, P < 0.001, OR 8.4. There was no significant correlation among human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA DR) mismatch, pacemaker use or homocysteine levels and the development of CAV. Maximum cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were not significantly different. Neither diabetes nor hypertension was significant predictors of CAV on multivariate logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, frequent and severe rejection episodes may predict pediatric CAV. Neither glucose intolerance nor lipid abnormalities appeared to alter risk for CAV in this population.