The role of donor-specific antibodies in acute cardiac allograft dysfunction in the absence of cellular rejection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Acute allograft dysfunction (AAD) is an important cause of morbidity among heart transplant recipients. The role of donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) in AAD, with the increasing use of single antigen bead (SAB) assays that have improved the ability to detect DSA, remains unclear.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 329 heart transplant recipients followed up at our institution. AAD was defined as an acute decline in left ventricular ejection fraction to less than 50% and a decrement of 10% or higher compared to baseline in the absence of cellular rejection. Patients with AAD were compared with matched 30 heart transplant controls.

Results

There were 10 (3%) patients with AAD, 4 (40%) had DSA detectable by SAB assay compared to 16 (53%) controls (P=0.43). Pea

SUBMITTER: Fine NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4101052 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature