Should Hepatitis C Donors Be Used in Naïve Urgent Status Patients on the Heart Transplant Waitlist?

Purpose of Review: The aim of this commentary is to review contemporary data on the use of hearts from hepatitis C positive donors. Recent Findings: There continues to be a critical shortage of suitable heart donors available for patients with advanced heart failure requiring transplantation. Historically, donors with chronic hepatitis C virus were not utilized for heart transplantation due to concern about poor post-transplant outcomes. This was due, in part, to concerns about successfully treating chronic hepatitis C after transmitting the infection from donor to recipient. The availability of direct-acting anti-viral therapies is changing this paradigm. These therapies are generally well-tolerated and have excellent rates of viral clearance. Summary: We believe that heart donors with chronic hepatitis C should be routinely utilized for patients listed for urgent heart transplantation.

Duke Scholars

Author Chetan B. Patel Medicine, Cardiology

Author Adam David DeVore Medicine, Cardiology