Risk factors for tricuspid valve regurgitation after orthotopic heart transplantation

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) may occur following orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) and although a number of etiological factors have been suggested, the relative contribution of each of these remains to be elucidated. We aimed to assess the risk factors for TR in our 10-year experience of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT).

OHT was performed in 249 patients (161 by the standard technique and 88 by the bicaval technique). TR was assessed using transthoracic color Doppler echocardiography.

Recipients who underwent operation by the standard technique displayed higher incidence of moderate and severe TR than did bicaval-technique recipients. The development of early TR was also correlated to rejection greater than or equal to grade 2, preoperative raised transpulmonary gradient, and raised pulmonary vascular resistance. Risk factors for late TR were standard technique (p < 0.0001), number of rejection greater than or equal to grade 2 (p < 0.004), and the total number of heart biopsies (p < 0.02). Recipients with moderate and severe TR revealed elevated right-side pressures and advanced New York Heart Association statues compared to those with no, trivial, or mild TR.

Various factors contribute to TR after OHT, the prevalence of which might be lowered by adopting the bicaval technique, early treatment of rejection, and reduction of the number of biopsies performed.