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Background Racial and ethnic disparities contribute to differences in access and outcomes for patients undergoing heart transplantation. We evaluated contemporary outcomes for heart transplantation stratified by race and ethnicity as well as the new 2018 allocation system. Methods and Results Adult heart recipients from 2011 to 2020 were identified in the United Network for Organ Sharing database and stratified into 3 groups: Black, Hispanic, and White. We analyzed recipient and donor characteristics, and outcomes. Among 32 353 patients (25% Black, 9% Hispanic, 66% White), Black and Hispanic patients were younger, more likely to be women and have diabetes mellitus or renal disease (all, P <0.05). Over the study period, the proportion of Black and Hispanic patients listed for transplant increased: 21.7% to 28.2% ( P =0.003) and 7.7% to 9.0% ( P =0.002), respectively. Compared with White patients, Black patients were less likely to undergo transplantation (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.87; CI, 0.84-0.90; P <0.001), but had a higher risk of post-transplant death (aHR, 1.14; CI, 1.04-1.24; P =0.004). There were no differences in transplantation likelihood or post-transplant mortality between Hispanic and White patients. Following the allocation system change, transplantation rates increased for all groups ( P <0.05). However, Black patients still had a lower likelihood of transplantation than White patients (aHR, 0.90; CI, 0.79-0.99; P =0.024). Conclusions Although the proportion of Black and Hispanic patients listed for cardiac transplantation have increased, significant disparities remain. Compared with White patients, Black patients were less likely to be transplanted, even with the new allocation system, and had a higher risk of post-transplantation death.

Objectives: This study sought to use INTERMACS (Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support) results to evaluate sex differences in the use and clinical outcomes of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD)., Background: Despite a similar incidence of heart failure in men and women, prior studies have highlighted potential underuse of LVADs in women, and studies of clinical outcomes have yielded conflicting results., Methods: Patients were enrolled from the INTERMACS study who underwent implantation of their first continuous-flow LVAD between 2008 and 2017, and survival analyses stratified by sex were conducted., Results: Among the 18,868 patients, 3,984 (21.1%) were women. At 1 year, women were less likely to undergo heart transplantation than men (17.9% vs. 20.0%, respectively; p = 0.003). After multivariable adjustments, women had a higher risk of death (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07 to 1.23; p < 0.001) and were more likely to incur post-implantation adverse events, including rehospitalization, bleeding, stroke, and pump thrombosis or device malfunction. Although women younger than 50 years of age had an increased risk of death compared to men of the same age (HR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.12 to 1.6), men and women 65 years of age and older had a similar risk of death (HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.24)., Conclusions: This study found that women had a higher risk of mortality and adverse events after LVAD. Only 1 in 5 LVADs were implanted in women, and women were less likely to receive a heart transplant than men. Further investigation is needed to understand the causes of adverse events and potential underuse of advanced treatment options in women., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)