Perspectives of heart xenotransplantation: a quantitative analysis of this treatment in patients with heart disease

Abstract

The shortage of human donors for heart transplants has driven research into viable alternatives, such as heart xenotransplantation. This study conducted a quantitative analysis of the perspectives of heart xenotransplantation in the treatment of patients with heart disease. The objective was to evaluate clinical efficacy, the immunosuppression techniques used, the results obtained in case studies and meta-analyses, and compare xenotransplantation with allogeneic transplantation methods. The methodology involved a literature review covering the period from 2014 to 2024, using databases such as Scielo, Google Scholar, scientific journals, repositories, and virtual libraries. Initially, 105 studies were found, of which 15 were selected after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that grafts from genetically modified pig hearts can survive for extended periods in non-human primates, with some survivals documented for up to 945 days. Effective immunosuppression techniques, such as CD40-CD154 costimulation blockade and the use of anti-CD20 antibodies, significantly reduced episodes of acute rejection. Practical implications include the potential reduction of waiting time for patients in need of transplants and offering new hope for those with terminal heart failure. However, technical, ethical, and biological challenges still need to be overcome. It is concluded that heart xenotransplantation is a promising field that deserves continuous attention and investment in research to advance towards safe and effective clinical application.