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  • Title: Single-center experience with extracorporeal photopheresis in pediatric heart transplantation.
    Author: Carlo WF, Pearce FB, George JF, Tallaj JA, McGiffin DC, Marques MB, Adamski J, Kirklin JK.
    Journal: J Heart Lung Transplant; 2014 Jun; 33(6):624-8. PubMed ID: 24661684.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: The pediatric heart transplant literature contains little information regarding extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), despite International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation guidelines recommending it for recurrent/recalcitrant rejection. We report our experience with ECP in pediatric heart transplantation. METHODS: Data were obtained on heart transplant patients who were aged ≤ 18 years at the time of transplantation and received ECP between 1990 and 2012 at our institution. RESULTS: Twenty heart transplant patients underwent 22 courses of ECP. Median ages were 12.7 years (range, 0.3-18.5 years) at transplant and 15.3 years (range, 7.3-31 years) at initial ECP. Median time from transplant to ECP was 1.4 years (range, 0.1-12.6 years). The median ECP duration was 5.8 months (range, 1.9-16.1 months). Indications for ECP included rejection with hemodynamic compromise (HC) in 4 patients, rejection without HC in 12, and prophylaxis in 2. Eleven patients died at a median time of 3.1 years after the start of ECP. Survival after ECP was 84% at 1 year and 53% at 3 years. Eleven patients were considered non-compliant and had a trend toward lower survival of 75% at 1 year and 18% at 3 years (p = 0.06 compared with compliant patients). One patient developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia during ECP and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease 21 months after finishing ECP. No other adverse effects or infectious complications associated with ECP were noted. CONCLUSIONS: This case series represents the largest reported experience with ECP in pediatric heart transplantation. ECP can be safely applied in this patient group. Despite EPC, non-compliant patients showed a trend toward lower survival than compliant patients.
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