Similar Mortality and Morbidity of Orthotopic Heart Transplantation for Patients 70 Years of Age and Older Compared With Younger Patients

Abstract Background The upper age limit of heart transplantation remains controversial. The goal of the present study was to investigate the mortality and morbidity of orthotopic heart transplantation (HT) for recipients ≥70 compared with those 48 hours ventilation, pneumonia, pneumothorax, sepsis, in-hospital and post-discharge infections, were similar between groups ( P = NS for all comparisons). ICU and hospital length of stays were similar between groups ( P = .35 and P = .87, respectively). In Cox analysis, recipient age ≥70 years was not identified as a predictor of lower long-term survival after HT. Conclusions HT recipients ≥70 years old had similar 1, 5, and 10-year survival rates compared with younger recipients. Both patient groups had similar intra- and postoperative blood utilization and frequencies of many postoperative complications. Older and younger patients had similar morbidity and mortality rates following HT. Carefully selected older patients (≥70 years) can safely undergo HT and should not be excluded from HT consideration based solely on age.