Cardio-oncology & other

Low cardiovascular event rates in patients treated with CAR T-cells: Real-world outcomes from two independent cohorts

ESC Heart FailPublished Real-world outcomes from two independent cohorts

Authors' conclusion

Cardiovascular complications in CAR T-cell therapy were rare and primarily affected patients with preexisting cardiac conditions. Serious cardiac events were uncommon acutely but increased over time. The analysis underscores the need for risk-adapted follow-up and cardiological assessments to improve outcomes in patients with cardiac comorbidities. Inherent with the databases used, these results should be interpreted with caution, as underreporting and overreporting could introduce bias regarding risik factors and outcomes in both directions.

Study context

Population
Patients undergoing CD19- or BCMA-directed CAR T-cell therapyCAR T-cell cases from Germany and patients from the US · Germany (DESTATIS), CAR T-cell cases 2,545 · US (TriNetX), patients 1,335
Outcome
Short-term severe cardiac events
Follow-up
Short-term
Methodological detailstwo large independent databases (DESTATIS (Germany) and the TriNetX network (US))
  • Two large independent databases (DESTATIS (Germany) and the TriNetX network (US))

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Germany

51

events

US

20

events

Further findings

Early death

Cytokine release

OR, patients with preexisting cardiac conditions
OR 1.19, 95%CI 0.77-1.82
  • No increased risk for immune-related complications

Neurotoxicity syndrome

OR, patients with preexisting cardiac conditions
OR 1.59, 95%CI 0.94-2.69

Major cardiovascular events · long-term

OR, patients with preexisting cardiac conditions (higher risk)
OR 1.89, 95%CI 1.23-2.91

Kidney failure · long-term

OR, patients with preexisting cardiac conditions (higher risk)
OR 2.98, 95%CI 1.85-4.81

Original publication

Low cardiovascular event rates in patients treated with CAR T-cells: Real-world outcomes from two independent cohorts. ESC Heart Fail. Published 8 May 2026. doi:10.1093/eschf/xvag132

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