Impact of the 2018 Change in US Allocation Policy on Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract BACKGROUND The US adult heart allocation policy was changed on October 18, 2018. This study aims to evaluate its impact on orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) for adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD). METHODS The United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to perform two comparisons: waitlist outcomes among listed ACHD candidates, and post-transplant outcomes in those transplanted. Waitlisted candidates were stratified by date of waitlisting: Period 1: 2010 to 2013; Period 2: 2014 to October 17, 2018 and Period 3: October 18, 2018 to March 20, 2020. Transplanted ACHD patients were similarly stratified but by date of transplantation. Competing risk regression for waitlist outcomes was performed. Post-transplant survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS 976 patients with ACHD were waitlisted for OHT in our study: 343(35.1%), 466(47.8%), and 167(17.1%) in periods 1, 2 and 3. Post-policy change, 1-year cumulative incidence of waitlist mortality or deterioration decreased (p=0.02). 648 patients were transplanted: 221(34.1%), 329(50.8%) and 98(15.1%) respectively. In those transplanted, post-policy median waitlist time (174, 161 and 38 days, p CONCLUSIONS The recent US allocation policy change may have resulted in reduced waitlist times and 1-year waitlist mortality for OHTs in ACHD patients. Early post-transplant outcomes appear comparable post-policy change.