Non-ischemic Preservation of the Donor Heart in Heart Transplantation - a Randomized, Controlled, Multicenter Trial

This study will investigate if non-ischemic heart preservation (NIHP) with the XVIVO heart preservation devices could improve clinical outcome of patients receiving hearts after use of the technology compared to after use of standard cold ischemic preservation. This will be investigated in a European multicentre randomized controlled clinical trial. For technical reasons, blinding to the involved clinical personnel is not possible, however, biopsies will be blinded to study pathologists. The trial will include 202 recipients that have been randomized through their heart donor. The primary outcome of the study is a clinically relevant composite including graft survival, primary graft dysfunction, rejection and use of circulatory mechanical support, within 30 days and also including Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy within 12 months. As secondary outcomes, molecular markers related to cardiac injury CKMB, ProBNP and TNI will be investigated as well as markers of the inflammatory response. Safety aspects such as effect on other organs and machine defects will also be monitored. The study population is adults, listed for heart transplantation and donors accepted as heart donors according to standard hospital procedures. Specific recipient exclusion criteria related to pre-transplant ECMO support, patients undergoing pre-transplant desensitization protocol, patients with Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease, patients with severe kidney or liver dysfunction, patients with septicaemia, and patients diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematous, sarcoidosis or amyloidosis are excluded. Cardiac death donors and donors with previous sternotomy are excluded. The study hypothesis is that NIHP better preserves the endothelium and myocyte function of the heart resulting in improved short- and medium-term recipient outcome, without inducing any new significant risks to the retrieved heart or the recipient. This is believed to be accomplished through continuous oxygenation of the heart via perfusion of the coronary arteries using an optimized preservation solution, mimicking the normal environment for the endothelium.