Cardiac transplantation in patients older than 55 years.

From 1985 to 1990, 27 patients older than 55 years (extremes 55-65 years; 21 men and 6 women) received a cardiac transplant. The cause of cardiopathy was ischemic in 70%. Postoperative immunosuppressive therapy consisted of Cyclosporin A, steroids, azathioprine and antilymphocytic serum. Rejection episodes were monitored by endomyocardial biopsies and treated by pulses of steroids or monoclonal antibodies (OKT3). The operative mortality is 7.4% (n = 2). The one and two year survivals are 71% and 62% respectively. The incidence of infection and/or rejection were 0.71 +/- 0.4 and 1.4 +/- 0.7 episodes/patient year. Age beyond 55 years does not contraindicate heart transplantation. This change in recipient selection policy should lead to parallel changes in donor selection criteria.