Mariana Montoya-Castillo, Departamento de Medicina Interna, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
Catalina Gallego-Muñoz, Departamento de Cardiología, Clínica Somer Incare, Rionegro, Colombia
Kelly Betancur-Salazar, Departamento de Cardiología, Clínica Cardiovid, Medellín, Colombia
Valentina Lahmann-Herrera, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
Isabella Madrigal-Álvarez, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
María F. Rodríguez-Banda, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
Daniela Ramírez-Patiño, Departamento de Urgencias, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín, Colombia
María I. Palacio-Mejía, Centro de Investigaciones, Clínica Cardiovid, Medellín, Colombia

Introduction: Heart transplant has several indications, and is considered one of the first therapeutic options in cases of advanced heart failure, but the use of immunosuppressive therapy has been associated with the development of both infectious and non-infectious chronic complications. Little local information is available evaluating non-infectious complications in these patients. Method: Observational study of a retrospective cohort. Patients aged 18 years or older with cardiac transplantation in a hospital in the city of Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia, between January 2013 and December 2022 were included. Sociodemographic, clinical and paraclinical characteristics, prior to transplantation, and chronic non-infectious complications developed and their treatment received were analyzed. The median follow-up time was 49 months (IQR: 22-85). Results: 162 patients were included. The median age was 50 years (RIC: 40-58) and 76.5% were men. The main causes of transplantation were cardiomyopathy (48.1%), ischemic heart disease (32.1%) and valvular disease (9.9%). The most frequent chronic non-infectious complications developed were systemic arterial hypertension (19.13%), diabetes mellitus (15.43%) and chronic graft vasculopathy (12.96%). Isolated cases of skin cancer (1.85%), prostate cancer (1.2%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (0.6%) were found. On many occasions for the management of complications it was necessary to adjust immunosuppressive treatment. Conclusions: Chronic non-infectious complications are prevalent, and their management has been evolving in recent years.

Keywords: Heart transplant. Heart failure. Complications.