What is the most frequent cause of death in the first year following a transplant?

Infection is the most frequent cause of death in the first year following a transplant due to several compelling factors. After transplantation, patients are typically placed on immunosuppressive therapy to prevent the body from rejecting the new organ. This immunosuppression significantly weakens the immune system, making patients more susceptible to various infections, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

During the first year post-transplant, patients undergo a period of heightened vulnerability as their bodies adjust to the new organ and the side effects of their medication. Moreover, infections can be of particular concern in transplant patients due to the timing in relation to surgery – they are at increased risk during the early postoperative period, which also happens to coincide with when the transplanted organ is establishing its normal functioning.

While acute rejection, chronic rejection, and cardiac arrest are serious complications that can occur post-transplant, they do not occur with the same frequency as infections within that critical first year. Monitoring for and managing infections is therefore crucial in the post-transplant care of patients to improve their overall survival and health outcomes.