Late Cardiovascular Complications after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

The authors sought to better understand the combined effects of pretransplant, transplant, and post-transplant factors in determining risks of serious cardiovascular disease after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Hospitalizations and deaths associated with serious cardiovascular outcomes were identified among 1379 Washington State residents who received HCT (57% allogeneic and 43% autologous) at a single center from 1985 to 2005, survived ≥ 2 years, and followed through 2008. Using a nested case-cohort design, relationships (hazard ratios [HRs]) between potential risk factors and outcomes were examined among affected survivors and a randomly selected subcohort (N = 509). After 7.0 years of median follow-up (range, 2.0 to 23.7), the 10-year cumulative incidence of ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, stroke, and all-cause cardiovascular death was 3.8%, 6.0%, 3.5%, and 3.7%, respectively. In multivariable analysis, increased pretransplant anthracycline was associated with cardiomyopathy. Active chronic graft-versus-host disease was associated with cardiovascular death (HR, 4.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 14.7); risk was otherwise similar between autologous versus allogeneic HCT recipients. Independent of therapeutic exposures, pretransplant smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity conferred additional risk of all outcomes except stroke (HR ≥ 1.5 for each additional risk factor, P < .03). Hypertension and dyslipidemia at 1 year with persistence of these conditions 2 or more years after HCT also were associated with independent risks of multiple outcomes. HCT survivors with preexisting or newly developed and persistent cardiovascular risk factors remain at greater risk of subsequent serious cardiovascular disease compared with other survivors, independent of chemo- and radiotherapy exposures. These survivors should receive appropriate follow-up and be considered for primary intervention.