Table 1.
Patients’ baseline characteristics and laboratory parameters within 3 months after heart transplant.
| Variables | MDR/XDR Infections | Non-MDR/XDR Infections | Not Infected | p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients | 14 (29.8) | 21 (44.7) | 12 (25.5) | |
| Recipient age, years | 47 (4–64) | 53 (11–68) | 45 (18–63) | 0.168 |
| Recipient gender | 0.313 | |||
| Male | 13 (92.9) | 15 (71.4) | 9 (75) | |
| Female | 1 (7.1) | 6 (28.6) | 3 (25) | |
| Body mass index, kg/m2 | 22.8 (16.6–33.3) | 24.7 (17.6–34.9) | 26 (18.3–34.3) | 0.196 |
| Comorbidities and CIRS | ||||
| Obesity | 1 (7.1) | 3 (14.3) | 4 (33.3) | 0.248 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 7 (50) | 6 (28.6) | 3 (25) | 0.39 |
| Diabetes | 3 (21.4) | 5 (23.8) | 2 (16.7) | >0.999 |
| Chronic pulmonary disease | 3 (21.4) | 8 (38.1) | 3 (25) | 0.656 |
| Chronic liver disease | 1 (7.1) | 3 (14.3) | 0 | 0.457 |
| Arterial hypertension | 7 (50) | 15 (71.4) | 7 (58.3) | 0.375 |
| Dyslipidemia | 8 (57.1) | 11 (52.4) | 8 (66.7) | 0.7 |
| Solid tumors | 2 (14.3) | 2 (9.5) | 2 (16.7) | 0.864 |
| Cerebrovascular accident/transient ischemic attack | 2 (14.3) | 5 (23.8) | 1 (8.3) | 0.616 |
| Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) | ||||
| 12.5 (5–22) | 15 (5–21) | 12 (4–17) | 0.099 | |
| Previous hospitalization < 90 days | 11 (78.6) | 11 (52.4) | 4 (33.3) | 0.064 |
| Recipient location right before HT | 0.699 | |||
| Home | 8 (57.1) | 14 (66.7) | 7 (58.3) | |
| Medical/surgical units | 3 (21.4) | 3 (14.3) | 4 (33.3) | |
| Intensive care units | 3 (21.4) | 4 (19) | 1 (8.3) | |
| Intensive Care Unit stay before HT | 0.442 | |||
| Yes | 6 (42.9) | 5 (23.8) | 3 (25) | |
| No | 8 (57.1) | 16 (76.2) | 9 (75) | |
| AICD/MCS-devices implanted before HT | ||||
| AICD before HT | ||||
| VAD before HT | 11 (78.6) | 19 (90.5) | 41 (87.23) | 0.674 |
| ECMO before HT | 3 (21.4) | 1 (4.8) | 6 (12.77) | 0.218 |
| IABP before HT | 1 (7.1) | 3 (14.3) | 4 (8.51) | 0.457 |
| Any MCS-device | 2 (14.3) | 1 (4.8) | 4 (8.51) | 0.802 |
| 4 (28.6) | 4 (19) | 11 (23.4) | 0.655 | |
| IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE REGIMENS | ||||
| Prednisone | ||||
| Cyclosporine A + mycophenolate | 13 (92.9) | 16 (76.2) | 11 (91.7) | 0.376 |
| Tacrolimus + mycophenolate | 8 (57.1) | 11 (52.4) | 7 (58.3) | 0.919 |
| Cyclosporine A | 3 (21.4) | 6 (28.6) | 3 (25) | 0.892 |
| Cyclosporine A → Tacrolimus | 3 (21.4) | 4 (19) | 1 (8.3) | 0.639 |
| Tacrolimus → Cyclosporine A | 0 | 1 (4.8) | 0 | 1 |
| 0 | 0 | 1 (8.3) | 0.255 | |
| Immunosuppressant blood level | ||||
| Cyclosporine A, ng/dL | 264.5 (121–328.5) | 219.5 (98–493) | 220.8 (115–308.5) | 0.342 |
| Tacrolimus, ng/mL | 8.6 (7.2–9.7) | 7.8 (6.2–12.4) | 6.4 (1.4–8.1) | 0.348 |
| Mycophenolate, μg/mL | 1.1 (0.8–2) | 1.3 (0.4–2.9) | 1.2 (0.8–2) | 0.552 |
| Laboratory data | ||||
| Glomerular Filtration Rate (CKD-EPI) pre-HT, mL/min/1.83 m2 | 61.5 (19–156) | 78 (26–128) | 90 (49–158) | 0.388 |
| Creatinine pre-HT, mg/dL | ||||
| Creatinine onset 1st infection, mg/dL | 1.4 (0.5–3.5) | 1.1 (0.6–2.5) | 0.9(0.5–1.6) | 0.489 |
| Creatinine EOH, mg/dL | 1.1 (0.5–2.3) | 1 (0.4–2.3) | 1.1 (0.6–2.9) | 0.4 |
| Creatinine 1 m post-HT, mg/dL | 0.9 (0.2–2.6) | 0.9 (0.2–2) | 0.904 | |
| Creatinine 3 m post-HT, mg/dL | 1.1 (0.5–3.7) | 0.9 (0.3–2.2) | 1.1 (0.8–1.6) | 0.573 |
| Bilirubin pre-HT, mg/dL | 1.2 (0.5–1.9) | 1 (0.5–1.5) | 1 (0.6–1.3) | 0.72 |
| Bilirubin onset 1st infection, mg/dL | 1.3 (0.6–3.3) | 1 (0.2–2.7) | 1 (0.4–3.6) | 0.233 |
| Bilirubin EOH, mg/dL | 3.45 (0.7–35.3) | 1.9 (0.4–5) | 1.1 (0.4–6) | 0.096 |
| Bilirubin 1 m post-HT, mg/dL | 1.7 (0.7–35) | 1.9 (0.5–21.8) | 0.255 | |
| Bilirubin 3 m post-HT, mg/dL | 1.9 (0.8–2.7) | 1 (0.4–6.1) | 0.7 (0.4–2.1) | 0.005 |
| INR pre-HT | 0.9 (0.4–2.1) | 0.6 (0.3–1.4) | 0.7 (0.4–1.2) | 0.264 |
| INR onset 1st infection | 2.31 (1.05–6.51) | 1.76 (0.95–4.27) | 1.38 (1.02–3.4) | 0.206 |
| INR EOH | 1.08 (0.97–1.99) | 1.21 (1.02–3.91) | 1.01 (0.97–2.94) | 0.781 |
| INR 1 m post-HT | 1.13 (0.95–1.54) | 1.11 (0.99–5.25) | 0.765 | |
| INR 3 m post-HT | 1.16 (0.94–1.36) | 1.05 (0.99–3.21) | 1.04 (0.94–1.23) | 0.282 |
| Lymphocytes pre-HT, u/mmc | 1.02 (0.95–1.57) | 1.03 (0.92–2.44) | 1.02 (0.92–1.08) | 0.433 |
| Lymphocytes post-HT, u/mmc | 1.31 (0.81–2.25) | 1.56 (0.77–3.21) | 1.88 (0.8–4.83) | 0.262 |
| Lymphocytes 1 m post-HT, u/mmc | 0.49 (0.08–2.72) | 0.69 (0.09–3.21) | 0.32 (0.11–1.53) | 0.588 |
| WBC > 15.000/mmc during hospital stay | 0.54 (0.12–2.53) | 0.67 (0.2–1.8) | 0.77 (0.49–1.96) | 0.561 |
| PLT < 10.000/mmc during hospital stay | 8 (57.1) | 17 (81) | 10 (83.3) | 0.205 |
| 2 (14.3) | 1 (4.8) | 0 | 0.445 |
Data are expressed as median and interquartile range, or number and percentage. Abbreviations: AICD, automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, ECMO, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; EOH, end of hospitalization; IABP, intra-aortic balloon pump; HT, heart transplant; INR, international normalized ratio; M, month; MCS, Mechanical Circulatory Support; MDR/XDR, multidrug-resistant/extensively drug-resistant; PLT, Platelets; VAD, ventricular assist device; WBC, white blood cells. The number reported for AICD/MCS devices implanted before HT refers to the number of patients.