The Impact of Airway Complications on Survival Among Lung Transplant Recipients.

Long-term outcomes of airway complications (AC) after lung transplantation are unknown. The incidence of AC varies from 1.6% to 32% with the related mortality rate of 2% to 4%. The management of most AC is based on endobronchial methods, including balloon bronchoplasty, endobronchial stent placement, and ablative techniques. The aim of the study was to assess the connection between airway complications treated by bronchial intervention (BI) and the survival of lung transplant recipients. The single-center retrospective study reviewed the cases of 165 patients (63 women [38.18%], 103 men [61, 82%]; median age at referral for lung transplantations (LTx), 41 years [range, 15-68 years]). The cohort was stratified into 2 groups comprising those whose procedures were complicated by ACs and those without. The primary outcome measured was mortality, with survival endpoints calculated at 6 months. The comparison of the survival of recipients regarding underlying disease (cystic fibrosis [CF], chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension [IPAH], and others) with the use of the Kaplan-Meier estimator indicated that the only statistically significant (P =.0194) differences between patients who underwent BI and patients without BI performed were observed in CF patients (Fig 1). In any other diagnosis, the results were not statistically significant (P >.05). Bronchoscopic intervention because of airway complications after lung transplantation are often-used procedures, but they have no impact on the survival of patients with cystic fibrosis. • Bronchoscopic interventions due to airway complications after lung transplantation are frequent procedures. • They seem to have no impact on the short-term survival among patients transplanted due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, primary pulmonary hypertension, and interstitial lung diseases. • Lung transplant recipients due to cystic fibrosis seems to be the exception, as the number of BI influences their survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]