The impact of CMV prevention on long-term recipient and graft survival in heart transplant recipients: analysis of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database

The association between cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin (CMVIG) and long-term clinical outcomes in heart transplantation has not been evaluated using data from large national databases. We examined the association between CMVIG, with and without antivirals, or antivirals alone, and long-term recipient and graft survival in heart transplantation using data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Recipients transplanted between January 1995 and October 2008, <= 80 yr old, of primary, single-organ heart transplants, recorded as receiving CMVIG with or without antivirals (n = 2112), antivirals without CMVIG (n = 12 089), or no prophylaxis (n = 14 661), at hospital discharge, were included. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to examine death and graft loss at seven yr post-transplantation; Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the adjusted risk of graft loss and death for prophylaxis vs. no prophylaxis. CMVIG use (+/- other antivirals) was associated with increased recipient (69% vs. 64%, p < 0.001) and graft (67% vs. 63%, p < 0.001) survival. Antivirals alone also demonstrated increased recipient (68% vs. 64%, p < 0.001) and graft survival (66% vs. 63%, p < 0.001). Cox models demonstrated that CMVIG (+/- other antivirals) was independently associated with decreased risk for death (hazard ratio, HR 0.79, p < 0.001) and graft loss (HR 0.78, p < 0.001) as were antivirals alone (mortality HR: 0.79, p < 0.001; graft loss: HR 0.78, p < 0.001).