An update on transplantation in the geriatric heart transplant patient

Psychosomatics. 1997 Sep-Oct;38(5):487-96. doi: 10.1016/S0033-3182(97)71426-9.

Abstract

Discussions of the ethics involved in allocating scarce resources often proceed without a grounding in factual experience. This study explored whether there was statistical evidence to support the use of set age limits in patient selection criteria for heart transplantation. Many transplant teams have selection criteria that include age limits, excluding patients more than 60 or 65 years of age from being considered as transplant candidates. The hypothesis was made that patients in the age bracket of 60-69 should have a comparable success rate with transplantation to that of younger recipients when selected by using the same medical and psychiatric criteria. Based on their clinical observations, the authors postulated that the elderly would report better quality of life postoperatively than younger control subjects.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft Rejection / etiology
  • Graft Rejection / mortality
  • Heart Transplantation / mortality
  • Heart Transplantation / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Care Team*
  • Patient Selection*
  • Postoperative Complications / etiology
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality
  • Quality of Life
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome