Background

This study evaluated the outcomes of combined heart-kidney transplantation in the United States using hepatitis C positive (HCV+) donors.

Methods

Adults undergoing combined heart-kidney transplantation from 2015 to 2020 were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing registry. Patients were stratified by donor HCV status. Kaplan-Meier curves were created with multivariable Cox regression models used for risk-adjustment in a propensity-matched cohort.

Results

A total of 950 patients underwent heart-kidney transplantation of which 7.8% (n = 75) used HCV+ donors; 68% (n = 51) were viremic and 32% (n = 24) were non-viremic donors. Unadjusted 1-year recipient survival was similar between HCV+ versus HCV- donors (84 vs 88%, respectively; p = 0.33). Risk-adjusted analysis in the propensity-matched cohort showed HCV+ donor use did not confer increased risk of 1-year mortality (hazard ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.17-2.32; p = 0.49). Sub-group analysis showed viremic and non-viremic HCV+ donors had similar 1-year survival as well (84 vs 84%; p = 0.95).

Conclusions

Compared with recipients of HCV- donor dual heart-kidney transplants, recipients of HCV+ organs had comparable 1-year survival and clinical outcomes after combined transplantation. Although future studies should evaluate other outcomes related to HCV+ donor use, this practice appears safe and should be expanded further in the heart-kidney transplant population.

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