Improvement in exercise capacity of candidates awaiting heart transplantation

Objectives. This study determined the frequency of improvement in peak oxygen uptake and its role in reevaluation of candidates awaiting heart transplantation. Background. Ambulatory candidates for transplantation usually wait >6 months to undergo the procedure, and during this period symptoms may lessen, and peak oxygen uptake may improve. Whereas initial transplant candidacy is based increasingly on objective criteria, there are no established guidelines for reevaluation to determine who can leave the active waiting list. Methods. All ambulatory transplant candidates with initial peak oxygen uptake