[Osteo-articular complications of heart transplantation]

Heart transplantation is an effective means of treating irreversible heart failure in selected patients. Preventing organ rejection requires immunosuppressor treatment with corticosteroids, azathioprine and/or cyclosporine. Bone and joint complications are frequent and increase overall morbidity directly related to anti-rejection therapy. Corticosteroids favour osteopenia which can be detected by measurement of bone density. The risks include spontaneous wedge fractures of the spine and aseptic necrosis. The frequency of complications has been reduced with the use of cyclosporine allowing a reduction in corticosteroids. Raised serum urate levels and increased risk of gout can be induced by cyclosporine. The gout in these patients has a particular course since it appears rapidly after only a few months of hyperuricaemia. Several joints may be involved with production of tophi. Treatment is particularly difficult. Its frequency increases after heart transplantation compared with other organs which can be explained by the more prevalent prescription of diuretics which further aggravate urate secretion. These complications cause further discomfort in transplant recipients.