Sudden cardiac death following liver transplantation: Incidence, trends and risk predictors

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular events are a leading cause of mortality following liver transplantation (LT). Although a preponderance of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in this population has been reported, there is a paucity of data evaluating the incidence, timing and predictors of SCD following LT. Methods: Using the prospectively collected Australian and New Zealand Liver Transplant Registry, a cohort study of all adult LTs from 1985 to 2017 was performed to ascertain the incidence and predictors of SCD. Recipient cause of death was adjudicated by an interdisciplinary panel. Results: 4265 LT patients were followed-up for 37,409 person-years. SCD was the leading mode of cardiovascular death with a..