2.
Use of Idarucizumab to reverse the anticoagulant effect of dabigatran in cardiac transplant surgery. A multicentric experience in Spain.
Crespo-Leiro, MG, López-Vilella, R, López Granados, A, Mirabet-Pérez, S, Díez-López, C, Barge-Caballero, E, Segovia-Cubero, J, González-Vilchez, F, Rangel-Sousa, D, Blasco-Peiró, T, et al
Clinical transplantation. 2019;(12):e13748
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anticoagulation in heart transplant (HT) recipients increases the risk of hemorrhagic complications, so correct reversal of anticoagulation is needed. Dabigatran, a direct thrombin inhibitor, is increasingly used for anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) whose effect can be reversed by idarucizumab. AIM: To present a nationwide experience using idarucizumab for the urgent reversal of dabigatran before HT. METHODS Multicenter observational study in 12 Spanish centers to analyze the clinical outcomes after using idarucizumab before HT surgery. RESULTS Fifty-three patients were included (81.1% male). 7.5% required re-operation in the immediate postoperative period to control bleeding and 66% transfusion of blood products. Median length of stay in the intensive care unit was 6 days and total hospital stay 24 days. 30-day survival was 92.4%. There were four deaths in the first month, all in the first 5 days post-HT. Only in one patient (transplanted due to a congenital heart disease, after sternotomy) who had surgical problems and right ventricular failure post-HT death was associated with bleeding. CONCLUSIONS These results may support the use of dabigatran as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists in patients listed for HT requiring anticoagulation due to NVAF. More studies are needed to reaffirm these observations.
3.
Lactobacillus probiotic use in cardiothoracic transplant recipients: a link to invasive Lactobacillus infection?
Luong, ML, Sareyyupoglu, B, Nguyen, MH, Silveira, FP, Shields, RK, Potoski, BA, Pasculle, WA, Clancy, CJ, Toyoda, Y
Transplant infectious disease : an official journal of the Transplantation Society. 2010;(6):561-4
Abstract
Organisms contained in probiotics are generally regarded as non-pathogenic and safe to administer. However, increasing reports of probiotic-associated infection raise concern over the safety of these products. We report a case of Lactobacillus empyema in a human immunodeficiency virus-infected lung transplant recipient receiving a probiotic containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. We compare the epidemiology of Lactobacillus infections in heart and lung transplant recipients at our institution before and after the introduction of this probiotic, and discuss the potential mechanism for Lactobacillus within the probiotic to cause infections and disseminate.
4.
Successful management of disseminated Nocardia transvalensis infection in a heart transplant recipient after development of sulfonamide resistance: case report and review.
Lopez, FA, Johnson, F, Novosad, DM, Beaman, BL, Holodniy, M
The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation. 2003;(4):492-7
Abstract
Nocardia transvalensis is a rarely reported cause of clinically significant disease, and, to our knowledge, has not been reported previously as a cause of infection in the cardiac transplant population. We report a case of N transvalensis new taxon-2 pulmonary infection that disseminated to the brain and skin in a cardiac transplant recipient despite adequate sulfonamide serum levels. Subsequent isolates were resistant to sulfonamides, and molecular ribotyping of the primary and subsequent isolates confirmed that these were the same N transvalensis new taxon-2 strain. The taxonomic and diagnostic considerations, as well as the clinical significance of anti-microbial-resistant nocardia, are reviewed and discussed herein.