Amiodarone without Risk for Heart Transplant Recipients: 2065

Introduction: Amiodarone administered before heart transplantation (AAB-HTx) is described as potentionally harming HTx recipients. Evaluation of the influence of preoperatively given antiarrhythmic medication on the post-HTx course is mandatory. Methods: We investigated perioperatively and for 1 year 150 consecutive patients who underwent HTx, and considered 450 data per patient as potential risk factors for cardiac graft failure (RF-FAILURE). Results: The univariate regression analysis revealed perioperative RF-FAILURE along recipients, donors, HTx operation and postoperative course. Multivariate regression revealed three predominant factors influencing RF-FAILURE (odds ratio; CI): absence or persistent loss of sinus rhythm in the post-HTx course (6; 3-15), age of donor older than 30 years (5; 1-18), and thoracic operation previous to HTx (4; 2-10). Recipients treated with AAB-HTx or any other antiarrhythmic medication had no increased incidence of arrhythmia or increased RF-FAILURE. The variety (n;%) of cardiac rhythm showed preoperatively sinus rhythm (75;50), sinus tachycardia (11;8), atrial fibrillation (50;33), pacemaker (PM) stimulation (14;10), and post-HTx supraventricular extrasystoles (SVES) (26;17), AV block III (26;17), SVES plus AV block III (10;7), asystole/PM dependency (7;5), complex VES (30;20). Table 1: Administered antiarrhythmic medication (n;% of patients)Conclusions: Medication for antiarrhythmic purposes in patients waiting for HTx is without influence on the occurrence or continuation of sinus rhythm after HTx. No preoperatively administered antiarrhythmic substance was correlated with an increased prevalence of postoperative arrhythmia or with an increased risk for cardiac graft failure.