Outcome of Heart Transplantation in Patients with Sarcoid Cardiomyopathy

Background Cardiac transplantation has been utilized increasingly in patients with sarcoid cardiomyopathy. We sought to review outcomes in patients with sarcoidosis who had heart transplants and compared their outcomes with those of transplanted patients without sarcoidosis. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database to assess the survival of patients with sarcoidosis who were treated by heart transplantation. Results Over an 18-year period, 65 patients (40 men and 25 women) with sarcoidosis underwent orthotopic heart transplantation. There were 4 operative deaths and 12 late deaths at a mean follow-up of 40 months. One-year post-transplant survival was significantly better for sarcoid patients receiving orthotopic transplantation compared with contemporaneous patients receiving transplantation for all other diagnoses (87.7% vs 84.5%, p = 0.030). Conclusions Patients with sarcoidosis undergoing orthotopic heart transplant had better short- and intermediate-term survival than the majority of heart transplant recipients. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis should not disqualify potential transplant candidates.