Among orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipients, COVID-19 vaccination is associated with fewer COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and deaths and no heart transplantspecific adverse events, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology. Laura L. Peters, DNP, and colleagues used data from all adult recipients of OHT at a single US heart transplant program to assess the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in OHT recipients. Of the 436 OHT patients, 106 were infected with COVID-19. Among the 366 vaccinated patients, 19.7% had COVID-19 infections, 4.1% required hospitalizations, and 0.8% died. Among the 70 unvaccinated patients, 48.6% were infected, 14.3% were hospitalized, 4.3% required ICU admission, 4.3% died. There was a lower risk for all outcomes with COVID-19 vaccination (risk ratios: infection, 0.41; hospitalization, 0.29; death, 0.19). Six months after COVID-19 vaccination, there was no echocardiographic evidence of graft dysfunction, clinically significant rejection, or allosensitization among vaccinated OHT recipients.
