Design of the multicentre randomised controlled BENTO trial to demonstrate patient-relevant benefit of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction using thermal vapour ablation in the German healthcare system for patients with upper lobe emphysema: a study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Application of vapour ablation as a novel approach to lung volume reduction has positive effects in patients with severe emphysema. The BENTO study is a randomised, controlled, open, multicentre trial, to assess the effects of bronchoscopic thermal vapour ablation (BTVA) in the German healthcare system. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Patients with bilateral heterogeneous emphysema of the upper lobes in Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 3/4 will be enrolled in this trial and will receive either standard medical management alone (according to GOLD guidelines) or BTVA treatment with the InterVapor system together with standard medical management. Patients will be randomised in a 2:1 ratio (treatment group:control group). A total of 224 patients will be enrolled at 15 study sites. The primary endpoint is the change in patient-reported disease-specific quality of life, as measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients between randomisation and the 9-month follow-up visit. Secondary endpoints include adverse events, mortality, vital status, changes in lung function parameters, exercise capacity and other efficacy measures at 3, 9 and 12 months.The BENTO trial was commissioned by the German Federal Joint Committee, to demonstrate that this approach is an efficient and safe treatment option in the German healthcare system. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol has been approved by the lead ethics committee in Germany (Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg) and until present also by the following ethics committees: Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of Duisburg-Essen, Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Ethics Committee of the State Medical Association of Hessen, Ethics Commission of the State Office for Health and Social Affairs of the State of Berlin, Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of Greifswald. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05717192.

Challenges in clinical practice, biological mechanism and prospects of physical ablation therapy for COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is projected to become the third leading cause of death globally by 2030. Despite the limited treatment options available for advanced COPD, which are mostly restricted to costly lung transplants, physical ablation therapy offers promising alternatives. This technique focuses on ablating lesioned airway epithelium, reducing secretions and obstructions, and promoting normal epithelial regeneration, demonstrating significant therapeutic potential. Physical ablation therapy primarily involves thermal steam ablation, cryoablation, targeted lung denervation, and high-voltage pulsed electric field ablation. These methods help transform the hypersecretory phenotype, alleviate airway inflammation, and decrease the volume of emphysematous lung segments by targeting goblet cells and damaged lung areas. Compared to traditional treatments, endoscopic physical ablation offers fewer injuries, quicker recovery, and enhanced safety. However, its application in COPD remains limited due to inconsistent clinical outcomes, a lack of well-understood mechanisms, and the absence of standardized guidelines. This review begins by exploring the development of these ablation techniques and their current clinical uses in COPD treatment. It then delves into the therapeutic effects reported in recent clinical studies and discusses the underlying mechanisms. Finally, the review assesses the future prospects and challenges of employing ablation technology in COPD clinical practice, aiming to provide a practical reference and a theoretical basis for its use and inspire further research.

Endobronchial coil lung volume reduction performed on patients with emphysema dominant COPD: Long term follow-up results.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a commonly seen, preventable, and treatable disease with permanent respiratory symptoms and air entrapment that is caused by particle exposure. In case of limited response to traditional treatment protocols, lung volume reduction may be performed in patients with emphysema dominant patterns. In this study, long term follow-up results of the patients who had been operated on by minimal invasive bronchoscopic lung volume reduction surgery by coil placement were reported. Materials and Methods: Records of the patients operated on by coil placement were retrospectively investigated, and pulmonary function test (PFT), echocardiography (ECHO), six-minute walking test (6MWT), tomography images, ventilation scintigraphy, and clinical summaries were evaluated. Out of 34 initial candidates, 18 patients were included in the study. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Spearman's rho were utilized to compare interventions and follow-up testing. Result: The average age of 18 patients was 62 (50-74) years, and except for one patient, all were males (n= 17). Fifteen patients were operated bilaterally, and the rest were unilaterally operated, with an average of 10 coils placed per coil placement. An average of 90 days was between bronchoscopic coil placement, with a follow-up duration of 45 days in between. Mean total follow-up duration was 794 (± 424) days. Pneumonia and pneumonitis were seen in 33% of patients within the first month. Mortality from respiratory causes was found to be 11%, while mortality from all causes was found to be 22%. Statistical difference was observed regarding 6MWT after bronchoscopic volume reduction when compared the initial preoperative values. However, this difference was later lost statistically at the second follow-up performed after the completion of both sides. A benefit in improved resting saturation was observed after the second procedure, which was not evident after unilateral intervention. However, similiar to 6MWT, this benefit was lost at the second follow-up, with resting saturation instead being effected negatively. No difference was observed in PFT results; however, a correlation was seen between FEV1 and walking distance. No specific correlation had been seen in the ECHO evaluation. Conclusions: Benefits regarding 6MWT and resting saturation were observed in patients undergoing minimal invasive bronchoscopic lung volume reduction surgery with coils. This benefit was evident in the short term but was lost as the follow-up duration increased. A relatively high morbidity and mortality rate was also present, further stating the risky nature of pulmonary intervention, even minimally invasive procedures, on patients with COPD.

Delayed targeted atelectasis in a case of bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves.

A woman in her late 60s with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and emphysema underwent bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) with endobronchial valves (EBV) to address hyperinflation. The initial EBV placement has led to partial lobar atelectasis of the left lower lobe and resulted in significant improvement in the patient's symptoms and lung function. However, valve migration occurred later due to pneumothorax unrelated to valves, leading to suboptimal clinical improvement. The patient achieved delayed full lobar atelectasis 21 months after EBV placement, which led to a significant clinical improvement. The patient decided to be delisted from the lung transplant list due to the improvement. This case highlights the importance of considering delayed atelectasis as a possible outcome of EBV placement and suggests the need for further exploration of the long-term implications and associations of this procedure.

Double lung transplantation is better than single lung transplantation for end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation is one of the most common treatment options for patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, the choice between single and double lung transplantation for these patients remains a matter of debate. Therefore, we performed a systematic search of medical databases for studies on single lung transplantation, double lung transplantation, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: The rate ratio and hazard ratio of survival were analyzed. The meta-analysis included 15 case-control and retrospective registry studies. RESULTS: The rate ratios of the 3-year survival (0.937 and P = 0.041) and 5-year survival (0.775 and P = 0.000) were lower for single lung transplantation than for double lung transplantation. However, the hazard ratio did not differ significantly between the two. CONCLUSIONS: Double lung transplantation was found to provide better benefits than single lung transplantation in terms of the long-term survival in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In hospital outcomes of autologous and implant-based breast reconstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common comorbid condition that can be associated with postoperative mortality and morbidity. However, the outcome profile of patients with COPD after breast reconstruction has yet to be established. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the postoperative outcomes in patients with COPD who underwent autologous (ABR) and implant-based breast reconstruction (IBR). METHODS: National Inpatient Sample was used to identify patients who underwent ABR or IBR from Q4 2015 to 2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare inhospital outcomes between COPD and non-COPD patients while adjusting for demographics, primary payer status, hospital characteristics, and comorbidities. RESULTS: There were 1288 (9.92%) COPD and 11,696 non-COPD patients who underwent ABR. Meanwhile, 1742 (9.70%) COPD and 16,221 non-COPD patients underwent IBR. In both ABR and IBR, patients with COPD had higher rates of seroma (ABR, aOR = 1.863, 95% CI = 1.022-3.397, and p = 0.04; IBR, aOR = 1.524, 95% CI = 1.014-2.291, and p = 0.04), infection (ABR, aOR = 1.863, 95% CI = 1.022-3.397, and p = 0.04; IBR, aOR = 1.956, 95% CI = 1.205-3.176, and p = 0.01), and prolonged LOS (p < 0.01). Specifically, patients with COPD in ABR had higher risks of respiratory complications (aOR = 1.991, 95% CI = 1.291-3.071, and p < 0.01) and incurred higher total hospital charges (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, patients with COPD undergoing IBR had elevated risks of renal complications (aOR = 3.421, 95% CI = 2.108-5.55, and p < 0.01), deep wound complications (aOR = 3.191, 95% CI = 1.423-7.153, and p < 0.01), and a higher rate of transfers out (aOR = 1.815, 95% CI = 1.081-3.05, and p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: COPD is an independent risk factor associated with distinct adverse outcomes in ABR and IBR. These findings can be valuable for preoperative risk stratification, determining surgical candidacy, and planning postoperative management in patients with COPD.

[Application of interventional respiratory techniques in the treatment of pulmonary bullae:an update].

Pulmonary bullae is a common complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), causing the deterioration in lung function, leading to aggravated dyspnea and poor quality of life for patients. The traditional therapeutic approach for pulmonary bullae is bullectomy using surgical thoracoscopy. The disadvantage of this approach is the postoperative complications and high risk of recurrence in many patients. In addition, for some patients, due to the patient's physical conditions, such as poor lung function and other diseases, bullectomy could not be used. Therefore, new alternative approaches were urgently needed. In recent years, interventional respiratory technology has been trialed to treat pulmonary bulla all around the world and has achieved great success. In this paper, we reviewed the relevant clinical research progress of interventional respiratory medicine techniques in the treatment of pulmonary bullae.

Treatable traits in advanced emphysema patients eligible for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction with endobronchial valves.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with advanced emphysema eligible for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) using endobronchial valves (EBV) are characterized by severe static lung hyperinflation, which can be considered a treatable trait. Other treatable traits (TTs), which are assumed to be present in this highly selected patient group, have not been studied in detail nor how they may affect health-related quality of life (HRQL). AIMS: We aimed to evaluate a spectrum of TTs in COPD patients eligible for EBV treatment and their association with HRQL. METHODS: The SoLVE study (NCT03474471) was a prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD patients receiving EBV. The presence/absence of 16 TTs was based on pre-defined thresholds. HRQL was assessed with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Subjects were stratified into two groups, using the median split method, into higher or lower SGRQ total score. Logistic regression assessed the odds ratio (OR) of having a higher SGRQ total score per TT. RESULTS: Ninety-seven subjects were included, the mean number of TTs per patient was 8.1 ± 2.5. Low physical activity (95%), poor exercise capacity (94%) and severe fatigue (75%) were the most prevalent TTs. The sum of TTs present in a subject was associated with the SGRQ total score (r = 0.53; p < 0.001). Severe fatigue, depression, and anxiety were predictors of having a higher SGRQ total score. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence and co-occurrence of multiple TTs were identified in emphysema patients eligible for EBV. Patients with a higher number of TTs were more likely to have worse HRQL.

Surgery for Secondary Spontaneous Pneumothorax with Chronic Lung Diseases.

PURPOSES: Secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP) is occasionally observed in elderly patients suffering from diffuse lung diseases. The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcomes of surgical treatment of SSP patients with chronic lung diseases. METHODS: In total, 242 patients who underwent surgery for spontaneous pneumothorax at Chiba University Hospital from January 2006 to October 2016 were included in this study. The patients' records were reviewed retrospectively for data on their background, surgical treatment, morbidity, mortality, and recurrence. RESULTS: Of the spontaneous pneumothorax cohort, primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) accounted for 144 patients. Among the 98 patients with SSP, 57 cases were caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 21 were caused by interstitial pneumonia (IP). The postoperative complication rate was 19.3% in the COPD group, 42.9% in the IP group, and 11.1% in the PSP group. The recurrence rate was 5.3% in the COPD group, 28.6% in the IP group, and 21.5% in the PSP group. CONCLUSIONS: The morbidity and recurrence were comparable between PSP and SSP cases with COPD, whereas these values were unfavorable in SSP cases with IP compared with PSP ones. Surgical intervention should be carefully considered in SSP patients with IP.

Application of 3D computed tomography in emphysematous parenchyma patients scheduled for bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.

Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a feasible, safe, effective and minimally invasive technique to significantly improve the quality of life of advanced severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) automatic analysis software combined with pulmonary function test (PFT) was used to retrospectively evaluate the postoperative efficacy of BLVR patients. The purpose is to evaluate the improvement of lung function of local lung tissue after operation, maximize the benefits of patients, and facilitate BLVR in the treatment of patients with advanced COPD. All the reported cases of advanced COPD patients treated with BLVR with one-way valve were collected and analysed from 2017 to 2020. Three-dimensional-CT image analysis software system was used to analyse the distribution of low-density areas <950 Hounsfield units in both lungs pre- and post- BLVR. Meanwhile, all patients performed standard PFT pre- and post-operation for retrospective analysis. We reported six patients that underwent unilateral BLVR with 1 to 3 valves according to the range of emphysema. All patients showed a median increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of 34%, compared with baseline values. Hyperinflation was reduced by 16.6% (range, 4.9%-47.2%). The volumetric measurements showed a significant reduction in the treated lobe volume among these patients. Meanwhile, the targeted lobe volume changes were inversely correlated with change in FEV1/FEV1% in patients with heterogeneous emphysematous. We confirm that 3D-CT analysis can quantify the changes of lung volume, ventilation and perfusion, to accurately evaluate the distribution and improvement of emphysema and rely less on the observer.

Bronchoscopic interventions for chronic bronchitis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chronic bronchitis is a phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), characterized by chronic cough and sputum production, associated with an increased rate of COPD exacerbations and hospital admissions, a more rapid decline in lung function and reduced life expectancy. Despite optimal medical therapy, chronic bronchitis remains difficult to treat. Interventional bronchoscopic procedures offer novel therapeutic approaches to this highly symptomatic condition. RECENT FINDINGS: A characteristic feature of chronic bronchitis is the presence of an abnormal epithelium with excessive mucus producing cells, parasympathetic overactivity, and airway inflammation. Metered cryospray and bronchial rheoplasty are designed to target this abnormal epithelium to reduce mucus production and inflammation. Targeted lung denervation aims to reduce parasympathetic overactivity, which may drive mucus hypersecretion. Here, we review the available evidence to determine the safety and efficacy across the bronchoscopic interventions. SUMMARY: Interventional bronchoscopy is a rapidly expanding field and its application in the treatment of chronic bronchitis has been recognized by the Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). The outcomes from the latest clinical trials will guide future treatment approaches in patients with difficult to treat chronic bronchitis.

Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on right ventricular function and remodeling after aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction are common factors that have been associated with poor prognosis after aortic valve replacement (AVR). Since there is still uncertainty about the impact of COPD on RV function and dilatation in patients undergoing AVR, we sought to explore RV function and remodeling in the presence and absence of COPD as well as their prognostic implications. METHODS: Patients who received surgical or transcatheter AVR due to severe AS were screened for COPD. Demographic and clinical data were collected at baseline while echocardiographic measurements were performed at baseline and 1 year after AVR. The study end-point was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: In total 275 patients were included, with 90 (33%) patients having COPD. At 1-year follow-up, mild worsening of tricuspid annular planar systolic excursion and RV dilatation were observed in patients without COPD, while there were significant improvements in RV longitudinal strain, RV wall thickness but dilatation of RV outflow tract distal dimension in the COPD group compared to the baseline. On multivariable analysis, the presence of COPD provided significant incremental prognostic value over RV dysfunction and remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: At 1-year after AVR, RV function and dimensions mildly deteriorated in non-COPD group whereas COPD group received significant benefit of AVR in terms of RV function and hypertrophy. COPD was independently associated with >2-fold all-cause mortality and had incremental prognostic value over RV dysfunction and remodeling.

[Obstructive Lung Disease:Point of Perioperative Management].

The respiratory disorder is classified into three types, "obstructive lung disease", "restrictive lung disease", and "mixed obstructive and restrictive lung disease". Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma were represented by obstructive lung disease and the number of each patients was estimated over 5 millions. These are a condition commonly presented in older people who undergoing cardiovascular surgery and confers an increased risk of postoperative complications and mortality. It is necessary to understand perioperative management of patients with COPD and bronchial asthma.

Surgical and bronchoscopic pulmonary function-improving procedures in lung emphysema.

COPD is a highly prevalent, chronic and irreversible obstructive airway disease without curative treatment. Standard therapeutic strategies, both non-pharmacological and pharmacological, have only limited effects on lung function parameters of patients with severe disease. Despite optimal pharmacological treatment, many patients with severe COPD still have a high burden of dyspnoea and a poor quality of life. If these patients have severe lung emphysema, with hyperinflation as the driver of symptoms and exercise intolerance, lung volume reduction may be an effective treatment with a significant impact on lung function, exercise capacity and quality of life. Currently, different lung volume reduction approaches, both surgical and bronchoscopic, have shown encouraging results and have been implemented in COPD treatment recommendations. Nevertheless, choosing the optimal lung volume reduction strategy for an individual patient remains challenging. Moreover, there is still room for improving durability of effect and safety in all available procedures. Ongoing and innovative research is essential to push this field forwards. This review provides an overview of results and limitations of the current lung volume reduction options for patients with severe lung emphysema and hyperinflation.

Risk Factors Associated With Prolonged Opioid Use After Revision Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine which preoperative factors are associated with prolonged opioid use after revision total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). METHODS: The M157Ortho PearlDiver database was used to identify patients undergoing revision TSA between 2010 and 2021. Opioid use for longer than 1 month after surgery was defined as prolonged opioid use. Postoperative opioid use from 1 to 3 months was independently assessed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between preoperative patient-related risk factors (age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, sex, depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, opioid use between 12 months to 1 week of surgery, tobacco use, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, previous myocardial infarction, and chronic ischemic heart disease) with prolonged postoperative opioid use. Odds ratios (OR) and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each risk factor. RESULTS: A total 14,887 patients (mean age = 67.1 years) were included. Most of the patients were female (53.3%), and a large proportion were opioid familiar (44.1%). Three months after revision TSA, older age (OR = 0.96, CI 0.96 to 0.97) and male sex (OR = 0.90, CI 0.81 to 0.99) were associated with a decreased risk of prolonged postoperative opioid usage. Patients with preexisting depression (OR = 1.21, CI 1.08 to 1.35), substance use disorder (OR = 1.47, CI 1.29 to 1.68), opioid use (OR = 16.25, CI 14.27 to 18.57), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (OR = 1.24, CI 1.07 to 1.42) were at an increased risk of prolonged postoperative opioid use. DISCUSSION: Older age and male sex were associated with a decreased risk of prolonged opioid use after revision TSA. Depression, substance use disorder, opioid familiarity, and COPD were associated with prolonged opioid use after revision TSA.

Impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on the Long-term Prognosis of Patients Undergoing Lobectomy for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer: A Propensity Score-matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Recent advances in surgery, such as thoracoscopic surgery, have made it possible to treat patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) more safely than before. This study evaluated the short- and long-term prognosis of lobectomy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with COPD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective, propensity-matched, cohort analysis was conducted from January 2014 to December 2018. Among 441 patients who underwent lobectomy for NSCLC, 158 (35.8%) had a preoperative diagnosis of COPD. Propensity-matched analysis, incorporating preoperative variables, was used to compare postoperative hospital stay and complications, and long-term prognosis between the groups. RESULTS: Propensity matching estimated 145 patients in each group. There was no difference between the two groups for length of postoperative hospital stay (12 vs. 11 days, p=0.306). Postoperative complications were more frequent in the COPD group (24.1%) than in the non-COPD group (16.6%), but the difference was not significant (p=0.108). The 5-year overall survival rate was 86.2% in the COPD group and 82.1% in the non-COPD group after matching (p=0.580). The corresponding 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 72.8% in the COPD group and 67.2% in the non-COPD group after matching (p=0.601). CONCLUSION: In case of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) I/II classification, COPD did not significantly worsen the prognosis of patients with NSCLC after lobectomy.

Recent advances in bronchoscopic lung volume reduction for severe COPD patients.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a novel and effective treatment for a specific phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterized by advanced emphysema with static lung hyperinflation and severe breathlessness. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent advances made in BLVR. RECENT FINDINGS: For achieving optimal outcomes with BLVR, patient selection and target lobe identification is crucial. BLVR has recently also been established to improve pulmonary function, exercise capacity and quality of life in COPD patients falling outside the standard treatment criteria, including patients with moderate hyperinflation, chronic hypercapnic failure or with very low diffusion capacity. In a cluster analysis, target lobe characteristics like emphysema destruction, air trapping and perfusion were found to be important discriminators between responders and non-responders. A potential survival benefit has been demonstrated in BLVR-treated patients when compared to non-treated patients. Long-term outcomes showed sustained outcomes of BLVR; however, effects decline over time, probably due to disease progression. SUMMARY: BLVR using one-way endobronchial valves has become a guideline treatment offered in specialized intervention centres for a specific subgroup of COPD patients. Recent studies further characterize responders, describe extrapulmonary effects of BLVR and show positive long-term outcomes and a potential survival benefit.

Single vs Bilateral Lung Transplant in the Management of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation is recommended for select patients with end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a consensus has not been reached regarding the optimal choice of lung transplantation: single lung transplants (SLTs) vs bilateral lung transplants (BLTs). This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SLT compared with BLT in managing end-stage COPD. METHODS: Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus were searched for articles by 2 independent reviewers using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis system. The review was registered prospectively with PROSPERO (CRD42022343408). RESULTS: Seven studies of 311 screened met the eligibility criteria, with a total of 10,652 patients with end-stage COPD, SLT (n = 6233), or BLT (n = 4419). Overall survival rates of BLT group were more favorable than SLT group at 1 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.43, I2 = 0%), 5 (OR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.35, 1.58, I2 = 23%), and 10 years (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.57, 1.87, I2 = 12%) as well as the hazard ratio (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.70, 0.76, I2 = 40%). Subgroup analysis on survival rates of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency also displayed a trend favoring BLT compared with SLT at 1 (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.24, 2.08, I2 = 28%), 5 (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.26, I2 = 42%), and 10 years (OR = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.59, 2.48, I2 = 47%) as well as the HR (HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.35, 1.28, I2 = 82%). CONCLUSION: Compared with SLT, BLT seems to demonstrate more favorable trends in survival rates for the management of end-stage COPD. Despite the promising results, the groups have significant heterogeneity in baseline characteristics. Further prospective studies with extended follow-up periods are needed to ascertain the efficacy of treatment.

Lung transplantation in Norway 1999-2020. / Lungetransplantasjon i Norge 1999­2020.

BACKGROUND: Since 2009, patients with a rapidly progressing lung disease have been given a higher priority on the waiting list for a lung transplant. The purpose of our study was to examine diagnosis distribution, waiting list times, mortality and survival for patients on the waiting list in the period 1999-2020. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We conducted a descriptive, retrospective study of patients on the waiting list for a lung transplant in the periods 1999-2008 and 2009-2020. RESULTS: A total of 557 lung transplants were performed: 185 in 1999-2008 (median of 17.5 per year) and 372 in 2009-2020 (median of 32.5 per year). In the periods 1999-2008 and 2009-2020, the proportion of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/emphysema was 67 % and 49 %, respectively. The corresponding figures for pulmonary fibrosis were 13 % and 23 %, and for cystic fibrosis 5 % and 11 %. Waiting list mortality was 27 % in 1999-2008 and 16 % in 2009-2020. Correspondingly for the two periods, waiting list mortality for patients with pulmonary fibrosis was 45 % and 22 %, and for cystic fibrosis 41 % and 2 %. Waiting times were shorter for all diagnoses in the period after the change in priority and longest for patients with COPD/emphysema (median of 381 days). Median survival after lung transplantation during the study period was ten years. INTERPRETATION: For patients with pulmonary fibrosis and cystic fibrosis, the change in transplant priority in 2009 may have played a role in reducing waiting list mortality.