SURVIVAL ANALYSIS ON THE HEART TRANSPLANT WAITING LIST: RESULTS OF A SINGLE-CENTER STUDY
Abstract
Introduction. Heart failure is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and heart transplantation (HT) remains the only radical treatment for the terminal stage of this disease. However, the shortage of donor organs and prolonged waiting periods significantly limit the availability of HT, leading to high mortality rates among patients on the waiting list. The aim of this study was to analyze the survival of patients awaiting HT at the State Institution "Heart Institute of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine."
Materials and Methods. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 464 patients included in the HT waiting list from 2021 to 2024. Data were obtained from the Unified State Information System for Transplantation and medical records. Demographic parameters, urgency status, the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), and survival rates were assessed. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0.
Results. The median age of the patients was 49 (38; 58) years, with men comprising 82.8% of the cohort. The median time spent on the waiting list was 271 (138; 547) days. HT was performed in 19.2% of cases, while mortality on the waiting list was 21.1%. Patients with a higher urgency status had significantly lower survival rates, with the highest mortality observed among those with Status I urgency (55.6%). Overall 1-year survival was 88.0%, and 2-year survival was 77.0%.
Conclusions. The findings indicate a positive trend in reducing waiting times, which may result from improvements in the transplant system in Ukraine. The development of mechanical circulatory support and further analysis of survival factors remain a priority.
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