Table 3.
Characteristics of immunotherapy associated with short and long-term maintenance.
| Characteristics of Immunotherapy 1 | MCS + IS (n = 27) |
|---|---|
| Initial (short-term) immunosuppression | |
| Immunosuppressants per regimen | 2.0 (2.0, 2.0) |
| Immunosuppression as first-line treatment | 16/24 (66.7) |
| Immunosuppression started after VAD | 8/24 (33.3) |
| Steroid-free regimen | 1/27 (3.7) |
| Steroids alone | 4/27 (14.8) |
| Combined steroids + other immunosuppressant 2 | 22/27 (81.5) |
| Cyclosporine | 11/27 (40.7) |
| Cyclophosphamide | 5/27 (18.5) |
| IV immunoglobulin | 4/27 (14.8) |
| Antithymocyte globulin | 2/27 (7.7) |
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 2/27 (7.4) |
| Azathioprine | 1/27 (3.7) |
| Tacrolimus | 1/27 (3.7) |
| Rituximab | 1/27 (3.8) |
| Muromonab | 1/27 (3.7) |
| Maintenance (long-term) immunosuppression | |
| Maintenance immunosuppression 2 | 11/27 (40.7) |
| Steroids | 11/26 (42.3) |
| Cyclosporine | 2/26 (7.4) |
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 6/26 (23.1) |
| Tacrolimus | 5/26 (19.2) |
| Rituximab | 1/26 (3.8) |
1 All values are reported as n (%) or median (IQR). 2 Immunosuppressants total to >100% as some patients had more than one agent in regimen. Abbreviations—MCS: mechanical circulatory support, IS: immunosuppression, VAD: ventricular assist device, IV: intravenous.