Pediatr Transplant. 2026 Sep;30(9):e70454. doi: 10.1111/petr.70454.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Little is known about pediatric heart transplant candidates facing waitlist inactivation. We characterized them and assessed the impact of inactivation on waitlist and transplant outcomes.
METHODS: The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database was queried for pediatric heart-only transplant candidates. Characteristics, waitlist mortality, and 1-year posttransplant survival between inactivated and non-inactivated patients were compared. Predicted probability for the composite outcome of waitlist mortality or removal due to clinical deterioration over time was computed.
RESULTS: Of 5202 patients, 1716 (33%) were inactivated, mostly due to temporary illness (58%). Reasons for inactivation varied by age but not diagnosis. Inactivated patients had longer waitlist duration (171 [77-391] vs. 62 [21-144], p < 0.001), more congenital heart disease (61.0% vs. 55.2%, p < 0.001), and were more often supported by ventricular assist device (47.9% vs. 32.9%, p < 0.001) and invasive ventilation at listing (19.9% vs. 13.6%, p < 0.001). Inactivated patients were less likely listed Status 1A (56.8% vs. 62.3%, p < 0.001) and less likely under intensive care at transplant (43.9% vs. 50.2%, p < 0.001). Inactivated patients had higher 1-year waitlist mortality and removal due to clinical deterioration (SHR 4.40 [3.72-5.20], p < 0.001), though this risk decreased with longer inactive time. One-year posttransplant survival was similar between groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Waitlist inactivation was strongly associated with 1-year waitlist mortality and removal due to clinical deterioration. However, this risk decreased with longer inactive time and made no difference in short-term posttransplant survival. Thus, the prognostic implications of inactivation are dynamic and can inform future donor allocation policy development.
PMID:42740611 | DOI:10.1111/petr.70454