Listing for Pediatric Donation After Circulatory Death Heart Transplantation Is Associated With Improved Waitlist Outcomes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Advances in procurement techniques have enabled use of hearts obtained via donation after circulatory death (DCD), expanding the donor pool; however, the impact of DCD heart transplant on outcomes in children is not well described. We aim to characterize waitlist survival and outcomes in pediatric heart transplant candidates listed for donation after brain death (DBD) versus DCD hearts.

Methods

The United Network for Organ Sharing database was queried for patients aged <18 years at listing, waitlisted for heart transplant between January 2021 and June 2024. Patients were stratified by listing for DBD exclusively, versus DBD and DCD hearts. Waitlist and posttransplant outcomes were compared using Fine-Gray and Kaplan-Meier analyses.

Results

Of 2449 listed pa

SUBMITTER: Catalano MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12684558 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature