Mortality Risk Higher for Young Black Heart Recipients
The researchers found that among recipients aged 18 to 30 years, mortality was increased 2.05-fold for Black versus non-Black recipients (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.67 to 2.51; P < 0.001); the risk was only significant in the first year after transplant (first year: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.30; 95 percent CI, 1.60 to 3.31; P < 0.001; after first year: aHR, 0.84; 95 percent CI, 0.54 to 1.29; P = 0.4). Among recipients aged 31 to 40 and 41 to 60 years, the association was attenuated, with mortality increased 1.53-fold (95 percent CI, 1.25 to 1.89; P < 0.001) and 1.20-fold (95 percent CI, 1.09 to 1.33; P < 0.001), respectively, among Blacks. No significant association with Black race was seen among recipients aged 61 to 80 years (aHR, 1.12; 95 percent CI, 0.97 to 1.29; P = 0.1). “Clinical research moving forward should focus attention on young, Black recipients during this high-risk period so that longstanding racial disparities seen in heart transplant survival can be improved,” Maredia said in a statement.
