Health care resource utilization and clinical outcomes for adult heart transplant recipients with primary graft dysfunction

INTRODUCTION The advent of new technologies to reduce primary graft dysfunction (PGD) and improve outcomes after heart transplantation are costly. Adoption of these technologies requires a better understanding of health care utilization, specifically the costs related to PGD. METHODS Records were examined from all adult patients who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) between July 1, 2013 and July 30, 2019 at a single institution. Total costs were categorized into variable, fixed, direct, and indirect costs. Patient costs from time of transplantation to hospital discharge were transformed with the z-score transformation and modeled in a linear regression model, adjusted for potential confounders and in-hospital mortality. The quintile of patient costs was modeled using a proportional odds model, adjusted for confounders and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS 359 patients were analyzed, including 142 with PGD and 217 without PGD. PGD was associated with a .42 increase in z-score of total patient costs (95% CI: .22-.62; p < .0001). Additionally, any grade of PGD was associated with a 2.95 increase in odds for a higher cost of transplant (95% CI: 1.94-4.46, p < .0001). These differences were substantially greater when PGD was categorized as severe. Similar results were obtained for fixed, variable, direct, and indirect costs. CONCLUSIONS PGD after OHT impacts morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization. We found that PGD after OHT results in a significant increase in total patient costs. This increase was substantially higher if the PGD was severe. SUMMARY Primary graft dysfunction after heart transplantation impacts morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization. PGD after OHT is costly and investments should be made to reduce the burden of PGD after OHT to improve patient outcomes.