Cardiac magnetic resonance evaluation in recipients of hepatitis c virus-infected donor hearts

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Transplantation
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) positive organ donors can expand the donor pool for heart transplantation (HT).
• Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is crucial for monitoring heart transplant recipients.
• Limited data exist on CMR findings comparing recipients based on donor HCV status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare baseline CMR characteristics in heart transplant recipients from HCV positive (HCV+) versus HCV negative (HCV-) donors.
• To evaluate differences in cardiac allograft structure, function, and tissue characteristics between these groups.

Main Methods:

• Propensity score matched case-control study.
• Comparison of cardiac allograft structure, biventricular function, strain, and myocardial tissue characteristics using CMR.
• Analysis of late gadolinium enhancement and parametric mapping.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in CMR normative values between HCV+ and HCV- HT recipient groups.
• Identical CMR-derived biventricular function and strain between groups.
• No significant differences in late gadolinium enhancement or myocardial tissue characteristics.

Conclusions:

• CMR is a valuable surveillance tool for heart transplant recipients with HCV+ donors.
• Cardiac allograft abnormalities in imaging should not be presumed to be caused by HCV infection.
• Donor HCV status does not impact baseline cardiac allograft structure or function on CMR.