LAUSR

Purpose Low functional exercise capacity (FEC) is directly associated with reduced quality of life and poor prognosis after orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). Due to inconsistencies in the literature, the purpose of this study is to investigate several proposed independent risk factors for poor FEC post-OHT. Methods Thirty OHT recipients (22 males; Results 15 patients exhibited high FEC. Characteristics were similar between groups, with the high FEC group having higher cardiac index (CI) and cardiac output (CO), longer ischemic time (IT), less chance of falling (all p Conclusion Lower cardiac output and index as well as higher fall risk were associated with low FEC. Shorter IT was paradoxically associated with low FEC. Higher FEC despite longer IT suggest centers may be willing to travel further for donor hearts, although other perioperative factors may contribute to poor FEC.