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Long Covid as an Indication for Heart Transplantation and Its Characteristics
Joao Manoel Rossi Neto1, Raphael Machado Rossi1, Plinio Jose Whitaker Wolf1
1Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Transplantation Proceedings
|May 7, 2023
Summary
Long COVID (LC) patients requiring heart transplantation present with unique characteristics, including low ejection fraction and fewer comorbidities. These findings highlight a distinct clinical profile of advanced heart failure post-COVID-19.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Transplantation
Background:
- Post-acute cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 (long COVID) remain poorly understood.
- Increased risk of heart failure observed in individuals post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, even without prior cardiovascular disease.
- Limited data exists on long COVID patients with advanced heart failure unresponsive to standard medical treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize patients with long COVID (LC) who were listed for heart transplantation.
- To compare the clinical features of LC patients with those of other etiologies requiring heart transplantation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 45 patients listed for heart transplantation between January 2020 and March 2022.
- Categorization into two groups: patients with LC (n=4) and patients with other etiologies (n=41).
- Description of patient characteristics as the primary study endpoint.
Main Results:
- Long COVID patients were oligosymptomatic during acute infection and did not require hospitalization.
- LC patients exhibited lower ejection fraction, higher utilization of intra-aortic balloon pumps, and lower pulmonary vascular resistance.
- Compared to other etiologies, LC patients had fewer comorbidities, suggesting a low cardiac output presentation rather than congestion.
Conclusions:
- This study provides early insights into the characteristics of heart transplant candidates with long COVID-related heart failure.
- The distinct clinical profile of these patients warrants further extensive research.
- These preliminary findings underscore the complex cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19.
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