Acute Antibody‐Mediated Rejection Following Heart Transplantation

Acute antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR) in heart transplantation is often associated with hemodynamic compromise, and is associated with increased mortality and development of accelerated transplant coronary artery disease (TCAD). The diagnosis of AMR has historically been controversial and outcomes with aggressive immunosuppressive therapy including plasmapheresis and cyclophosphamide are poor. Advances in diagnostic techniques like the demonstration of immunopathologic evidence for antibody‐mediated rejection by deposition of the complement split product C4d in tissue and detection of anti‐HLA antibodies by flow cytometry will assist in further characterizing AMR. Immunosuppression targeting B‐lymphocytes and use of m‐TOR inhibitors to alter the predilection to develop TCAD and improve survival in AMR remains to be proven. AMR is increasingly recognized as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in heart transplantation but treatment strategies must now be developed.