Abnormal nutrition affects waitlist mortality in infants awaiting heart transplant.

BACKGROUND

Although nutritional status affects survival after heart transplant (HTx) in adults and older children, its effect on outcomes in young children is unknown. This study aimed to assess the effect of pre-HTx nutrition on outcomes in this population.

METHODS

Children aged 0 to 2 years old listed for HTx from 1997 to 2011 were identified from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database. Nutritional status was classified according to percentage of ideal body weight at listing and at HTx. Logistic regression analysis evaluated the risk of waitlist mortality. Cox proportional hazard models assessed the effect of nutrition on post-HTx survival.

RESULTS

Of 1,653 children evaluated, 899 (54%) had normal nutrition at listing, 445 (27%) were mildly wasted, 203 (12%) were moderate or severely wasted, and 106 (6%) had an elevated weight-to-height (W:H) ratio. Moderate or severe wasting (adjusted odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-2.7) and elevated W:H (adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.6) were independent risk factors for waitlist mortality. HTx was performed in 1,167 patients, and 1,016 (87%) survived to 1-year post-HTx. Nutritional status at listing or at HTx was not associated with increased post-HTx mortality. Nutritional status did not affect the need for early reoperation, dialysis, or the incidences of infection, stroke, or rejection before hospital discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Moderate or severe wasting and an elevated W:H are independent risk factors for waitlist mortality in patients aged < 2 years but do not affect post-HTx mortality. Optimization of pre-HTx nutritional status constitutes a strategy to reduce waitlist mortality in this age range.