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Updated: Dec 21, 2025
Murine Heterotopic Heart Transplant Technique
Published on: July 8, 2014
Coronavirus Disease-2019 in Heart Transplant Recipients in Southeastern Michigan: A Case Series
Scott W Ketcham1, Sarah K Adie2, Ashley Malliett3
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Insights
Black men with orthotopic heart transplants (OHT) may face higher COVID-19 risks. Symptoms are similar to the general population, but elevated inflammatory markers indicate severe illness in this OHT cohort.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Transplantation Medicine
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread globally since December 2019.
- Clinical details and outcomes for COVID-19 patients with orthotopic heart transplants (OHT) are not well documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of OHT patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
- To identify potential risk factors and associations with severe illness in this specific patient population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective case series was conducted involving OHT patients admitted with COVID-19 between March 21 and April 22, 2020.
- Data were extracted from electronic medical records, including demographics, clinical presentation, laboratory results, treatments, and mortality.
Main Results:
- Thirteen OHT patients with COVID-19 were identified; all were Black men with a mean age of 61.
- Common symptoms included fever, shortness of breath, and cough. 46% required intensive care unit admission, and 15% died.
- Elevated inflammatory markers at presentation correlated with more severe disease.
Conclusions:
- Black men may represent a higher-risk group for COVID-19 among OHT recipients.
- Presenting symptoms in OHT patients with COVID-19 mirror those in the general population.
- Inflammatory markers are potential indicators of disease severity in this cohort.
Background:
Since coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the number of cases has risen exponentially. Clinical characteristics and outcomes among patients with orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) with COVID-19 remain poorly described.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective case series of patients with OHT with COVID-19 admitted to 1 of 2 hospitals in Southeastern Michigan between March 21 and April 22, 2020. Clinical data were obtained through review of the electronic medical record. Final date of follow-up was May 7, 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiologic, treatment, and mortality data were collected and analyzed.
Results:
We identified 13 patients with OHT admitted with COVID-19. The mean age of patients was 61 ± 12 years, 100% were black males, and symptoms began 6 ± 4 days before admission. The most common symptoms included subjective fever (92%), shortness of breath (85%), and cough (77%). Six patients (46%) required admission to the intensive care unit. Two patients (15%) died during hospitalization.
Conclusions:
Black men may be at increased risk for COVID-19 among patients with OHT. Presenting signs and symptoms in this cohort are similar to those in the general population. Elevated inflammatory markers on presentation appear to be associated with more severe illness.
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