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J V Conte

Publications and source records attributed to J V Conte.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Thoracic organ transplantation in the United States, 1995-2004.

This article reviews trends in thoracic organ transplantation based on OPTN/SRTR data from 1995 to 2004. The number of active waiting list patients for heart transplants continues to decline, primarily because there are fewer patients with coronary artery disease listed for transplantation. Waiting times for heart transplantation have decreased, and waiting list deaths also have declined, from 259 per 1000 patient-years at risk in 1995 to 156 in 2004. Fewer heart transplants were performed in 2004 than in 1995, but adjusted patient survival increased to 88% at 1 year and 73% at 5 years. Emphysema, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and cystic fibrosis were the most common indications among lung transplant recipients in 2004. Waiting time for lung transplantation decreased between 1999 and 2004. Waiting list mortality decreased to 134 per 1000 patient-years at risk in 2004. One-year survival following transplantation has improved significantly in the past decade. The number of combined heart-lung transplants performed in the United States remains low, with only 39 performed in 2004. Overall unadjusted survival, at 58% at 1 year and 40% at 5 years, is lower among heart-lung recipients than among either heart or lung recipients alone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Lung transplantation for primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Single lung transplantation (SLT) and bilateral lung transplantation (BLT) are routinely performed in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) and secondary pulmonary hypertension (SPH). It is unclear which procedure is preferable. We reviewed our experience with lung transplants for PPH and SPH to determine if any advantage exists with SLT or BLT for either PPH or SPH. METHODS: We reviewed the outcomes of all lung transplants performed for PPH or SPH for 4.5 years (July 1995 to January 2000). Survival was reported by the Kaplan-Meier method, and log rank analysis was used to determine significance. Statistical analyses of clinical data were performed using analysis of variance and chi2 analysis. RESULTS: A total of 57 recipients met criteria for pulmonary hypertension with a mean pulmonary artery pressure of greater than or equal to 30 mm Hg. There were 15 patients with PPH and 40 patients with SPH. There were 6 patients who had SLTs and 9 patients who had BLTs in the PPH group; and there were 9 patients who had SLTs and 21 patients who had BLTs in the SPH group. We found a survival advantage for PPH patients who underwent BLTs at all time points up to 4 years (100% vs 67%; p < or = 0.02). There was no clear advantage to SLTs or BLTs for SPH. At 4 years there was a trend toward improved survival with SLTs (91% vs 75%) in SPH patients with a mean pulmonary artery pressure less than or equal to 40 mm Hg (p < or = 0.11) with equivalent survival (80%) in patients with a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than or equal to 40 mm Hg. There was also a trend toward improved survival in patients with a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than or equal to 40 mm Hg (PPH and SPH) with BLTs (88% vs 62%; p = 0.19). The incidence of rejection, infection, and other complications was comparable between SLTs and BLTs in each group. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that BLT is the procedure of choice for PPH. The procedure of choice is less clear for SPH. Patients with SPH and a mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 40 mm Hg may benefit from a BLT and those with a mean pulmonary artery pressure less than or equal to 40 mm Hg may do better with an SLT; however, no clear advantage is seen.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The changing profile of the cardiac donor.

BACKGROUND: Expansion of traditional donor criteria has become standard in most centers. To determine how this has affected donor profiles, at our institution, we reviewed all adult (age > or = 16) cardiac donors of the past 15 years. METHODS: We separated 261 cardiac donors into 2 groups based on time periods: Group I, 1983 to 1991 (n = 131), and Group II, 1991 to 1998 (n = 130). RESULTS: The groups differed significantly in mean donor age (26.2 years vs 30.9; p < 0.001), percent older than 40 years (6% vs 27%; p < 0.001), percent female (23% vs 35%; p = 0.04), percent distant procurement (54% vs 22%; p < 0.001), and percent minority donors (14% vs 29%; p < 0.001). We found an increase in non-traumatic deaths (24% vs 40%; p = 0.008). Older donors had significantly more non-traumatic deaths than younger donors (79% vs 13%; p < 0.001). Overall 5-year survival of recipients was 64% and was not significantly different between our early and late experiences (60% vs 68%; p = not significant [NS]). Recipients with hearts from older donors had a 5-year survival similar to recipients with younger donor hearts (61% vs 64%; p = NS). Traumatic and non-traumatic donors had similar 5-year survivals (64% vs 63%, p = NS). A stepwise multivariate analysis of the entire cohort identified donor age, donor weight, recipient United Network for Organ Sharing status, and cardiopulmonary bypass time as significant independent risk factors for recipient survival. Recipients of hearts from donors < 90 kg had significantly better 5-year survivals than recipients from donors > or = 90 kg (66% vs 48%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our evolving cardiac donor pool now has more minorities, women, and older donors whose deaths are often non-traumatic. At our institution, donor pool expansion has had no adverse effect on the long-term survival of recipients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Patterns and significance of exhaled-breath biomarkers in lung transplant recipients with acute allograft rejection.

BACKGROUND: Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) remains one of the leading causes of death in lung transplant recipients after 2 years, and acute rejection (AR) of lung allograft is a major risk factor for OB. Treatment of AR may reduce the incidence of OB, although diagnosis of AR often requires bronchoscopic lung biopsy. In this study, we evaluated the utility of exhaled-breath biomarkers for the non-invasive diagnosis of AR. METHODS: We obtained breath samples from 44 consecutive lung transplant recipients who attended ambulatory follow-up visits for the Johns Hopkins Lung Transplant Program. Bronchoscopy within 7 days of their breath samples showed histopathology in 21 of these patients, and we included them in our analysis. We measured hydrocarbon markers of pro-oxidant events (ethane and 1-pentane), isoprene, acetone, and sulfur-containing compounds (hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide) in exhaled breath and compared their levels to the lung histopathology, graded as stable (non-rejection) or AR. None of the study subjects were diagnosed with OB or infection at the time of the clinical bronchoscopy. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in exhaled levels of hydrocarbons, acetone, or hydrogen sulfide between the stable and AR groups. However, we did find significant increase in exhaled carbonyl sulfide (COS) levels in AR subjects compared with stable subjects. We also observed a trend in 7 of 8 patients who had serial sets of breath and histopathology data that supported a role for COS as a breath biomarker of AR. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated elevations in exhaled COS levels in subjects with AR compared with stable subjects, suggesting a diagnostic role for this non-invasive biomarker. Further exploration of breath analysis in lung transplant recipients is warranted to complement fiberoptic bronchoscopy and obviate the need for this procedure in some patients.

Acetone↗
PubMed2001

Induction therapy in lung transplantation: a prospective, controlled clinical trial comparing OKT3, anti-thymocyte globulin, and daclizumab.

BACKGROUND: Because acute rejection is associated with inferior outcomes in lung transplantation, we have routinely employed OKT3, anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), or daclizumab as adjuncts to reduce rejection. METHOD: We performed a 4-year prospective, controlled clinical trial of these 3 therapies to determine differences in post-operative infection, rejection, survival, and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). Eighty-seven consecutive lung transplant patients received OKT3 (n = 30), ATG (n = 34), and daclizumab (n = 23) as induction agents. The groups had similar demographics and immunosuppression protocols differing only in induction agents used. RESULTS: No differences were observed in immediate post-operative outcomes such as length of hospitalization, ICU stay, or time on ventilators. Twelve months post-transplant, OKT3 had more infections per patient than the other agents, a difference that only became significant 2 months post-operatively (p = 0.009). The most common infection was bacterial and OKT3 had more bacterial infections than any other agent. Daclizumab had more patients remain infection free in the first year (p = 0.02), having no fungal infections and a low rate of viral infections. No patient receiving daclizumab developed drug specific side-effects. Only those patients with episodes of acute rejection developed BOS. There were no significant differences in the freedom from acute rejection or BOS between the groups. The 2-year survival for the entire cohort was 68%, with no differences observed in patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: This study again reveals the importance of acute rejection in the subsequent development of BOS. Although daclizumab offers a low risk of post-transplant infection and drug specific side-effects, no drug is superior in delaying rejection or BOS or in prolonging long-term survival.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Lung transplantation from dialysis dependent donors.

Lung transplantation from a donor with chronic renal failure has never been reported. This paper reports our successful experience with 2 transplants from donors with end-stage renal disease who were on chronic hemodialysis, and reviews the relevant literature on the effects of renal failure on pulmonary function and on the use of marginal donors.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Lung transplantation and systemic sclerosis.

We performed lung transplantation in nine patients with Scleroderma related lung disease. Patient characteristics included: 7 (78%) females, 6 (67%) with limited and 3 (33%) with diffuse Scleroderma. Pulmonary fibrosis was present in 7 (78%) and pulmonary hypertension in 4 (44%). All patients were carefully screened by the Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland Scleroderma Center and only referred for transplantation when concomitant renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance < or = 50 ml/min), aspiration, and skin brakdown were excluded. When compared to a similar group of transplant patients with nonscleroderma lung disease (primary pulmonary fibrosis), there was no significant difference in post-transplant survival at four years (76.2 +/- 0.15% vs. 69.2% +/- 0.12%), mean annual incidence rate for acute rejection (0.14 +/- 0.14 vs. 0.47 +/- 0.13) and infection (viral 0.17 +/- 0.17 vs. 0.29 +/- 0.11) (bacterial 0.17 +/- 0.17 vs. 1.4 +/- 0.4) (fungal 0.99 +/- 0.69 vs. 0.36 +/- 0.16) or serum creatinine (1.55 +/- 0.34 mg/dl vs. 1.15 +/- 0.09 mg/dl). We conclude that lung transplantation is viable option for carefully selected patients with scleroderma related lung disease.

Contraindications↗
PubMed1999

Increased p53 protein expression in human failing myocardium.

BACKGROUND: The p53 gene is a tumor-suppressor gene which involves apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest under certain stress stimulate. However, the status of the p53 gene expression in human myocardium in congestive heart failure (CHF) remains unclear. Therefore, the current study was designed to investigate the expression of the p53 protein in human myocardium in normal subjects and in patients with severe CHF. METHODS: Human ventricular cardiac tissue was obtained from 7 normal subjects and 7 end-stage CHF patients during cardiac transplantation. The expression of p53 protein was determined by immunohistochemical staining. The cardiac apoptosis was determined by TUNEL staining. RESULTS: The p53 protein was minimally stained in normal human ventricular cardiomyocytes. In contrast, the staining density and positive stained nuclear (%) of p53 was significantly increased in ventricular cardiomyocytes of patients with severe CHF. Apoptosis in CHF human myocardium also markedly increased. CONCLUSIONS: The significantly increased expression of p53 in CHF human cardiomyocytes suggests that p53 may play an important pathophysiological role in the process of CHF through mechanisms involving myocardial apoptosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Lung transplantation in a Jehovah's Witness.

Patients of the Jehovah's Witness faith generally do not accept transfusions of blood or blood products but some will accept cadaveric organs for transplantation. We report a left single lung transplantation in a 48-year-old Hispanic female with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and secondary pulmonary hypertension. We believe this is the first reported case of lung transplantation in a Jehovah's Witness.

Christianity↗
PubMed1999

Intravenous amiodarone suppression of electrical storm refractory to chronic oral amiodarone.

We report the case of an electrical storm in a cardiac arrest survivor with an ICD, in whom chronic oral amiodarone failed to suppress ventricular arrhythmias, and in whom intravenous amiodarone resulted in stability for 6 weeks prior to successful cardiac transplantation. Intravenous amiodarone can be successful in suppressing life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, even when chronic oral amiodarone is unsuccessful.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1999

Anastomotic pulmonary hypertension after lung transplantation for primary pulmonary hypertension: report of surgical correction.

This report describes a patient who developed pulmonary hypertension 6 years after lung transplantation for primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Evaluation with right heart catheterization followed by pulmonary angiography, however, demonstrated that the pulmonary hypertension was secondary to an anastomotic narrowing of the pulmonary artery, rather than a recurrence of her PPH. Vascular complications of lung transplantation should be considered in patients who experience exertional dyspnea after lung transplantation. The suggestion of pulmonary hypertension on echocardiography should prompt further evaluation, including meticulous hemodynamic measurements.

Constriction, Pathologic↗
PubMed1998

Dysfunctional voltage-gated K+ channels in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells of patients with primary pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare disease of unknown cause. Although PPH and secondary pulmonary hypertension (SPH) share many clinical and pathological characteristics, their origins may be disparate. In pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), the activity of voltage-gated K+ (KV) channels governs membrane potential (Em) and regulates cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt). A rise in [Ca2+]cyt is a trigger of vasoconstriction and a stimulus of smooth muscle proliferation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fluorescence microscopy and patch clamp techniques were used to measure [Ca2+]cyt, Em, and KV currents in PASMCs. Mean pulmonary arterial pressures were comparable (46+/-4 and 53+/-4 mm Hg; P=0.30) in SPH and PPH patients. However, PPH-PASMCs had a higher resting [Ca2+]cyt than cells from patients with SPH and nonpulmonary hypertension disease. Consistently, PPH-PASMCs had a more depolarized Em than SPH-PASMCs. Furthermore, KV currents were significantly diminished in PPH-PASMCs. Because of the dysfunctional KV channels, the response of [Ca2+]cyt to the KV channel blocker 4-aminopyridine was significantly attenuated in PPH-PASMCs, whereas the response to 60 mmol/L K+ was comparable to that in SPH-PASMCs. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that KV channel function in PPH-PASMCs is inhibited compared with SPH-PASMCs. The resulting membrane depolarization and increase in [Ca2+]cyt lead to pulmonary vasoconstriction and PASMC proliferation. Our data suggest that defects in PASMC KV channels in PPH patients may be a unique mechanism involved in initiating and maintaining pulmonary vasoconstriction and appear to play a role in the pathogenesis of PPH.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The influence of continuous intravenous prostacyclin therapy for primary pulmonary hypertension on the timing and outcome of transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a progressive disease with a median survival of less than 3 years from diagnosis. Medical management has typically consisted of anticoagulation and oral calcium channel blocking agents, whereas lung transplantation (LT) has been reserved for patients who are unresponsive to medical therapy. Continuous intravenous prostacyclin was introduced for patients who did not respond to calcium channel blockers and who would have required LT. We reviewed our experience with prostacyclin in LT candidates to study its effects on the timing and outcome of LT. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinic and hospital records of patients with PPH who were both treated with prostacyclin and evaluated for LT. Additional information was obtained from the pulmonary vascular disease and lung transplantation databases. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients were identified who received prostacyclin for the treatment of PPH and were evaluated for LT. Thirty-seven patients were accepted as LT candidates, 22 at The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), 15 at other LT programs. Overall, 70% (27/37) of LT candidates were removed from the LT waiting list or had listing for LT deferred because of clinical improvement. In patients listed for LT before initiation of prostacyclin therapy, 55% (12/22) were removed from the active waiting list for 27.2+/-17 months (range 8 to 60), and 92% (11/12) remain on the inactive status. In patients who received prostacyclin before listing for LT, listing for LT was deferred in 94% (14/15) for 17.4+/-9 months (range 6 to 33 months) because of clinical stability or improvement. In all, 93% of patients (39/42) experienced an improvement in 1 or more New York Heart Association functional class. The hemodynamic profiles of the eight patients removed from the active waiting list at UMMC demonstrated increases of 55%+/-18% in cardiac output, and decreases of 14.3%+/-4.9% in mean pulmonary artery pressure and 36%+/-8.3% in total pulmonary resistance (p < 0.05). The 1-year survival rate for LT after prostacyclin therapy was 88% (7/8) at UMMC and 60% (3/5) at the other centers. CONCLUSION: We conclude that prostacyclin therapy is an effective means of delaying, possibly indefinitely, the need for LT in patients with PPH and that excellent results can be obtained when LT is performed after prostacyclin therapy. Consideration should be given to initiating prostacyclin therapy in all patients whose conditions do not respond to conventional therapy before proceeding with transplantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Thoracic transplantation in 1998.

Thoracic transplantation has been a clinical option for patients with end-stage heart and lung disease for three decades. Heart, lung, and combined heart-lung transplantations are no longer experimental procedures; they are a standard part of the treatment algorithm for selected patients with end-stage heart and lung disease. This article summarizes the current status of heart, lung, and heart-lung transplantations and provides an insight into the future of this field.

Contraindications↗