Two Decades of Lung Retransplantation: A Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Lung retransplantation (ReTx) comprises an increasing share of lung transplants and recently has shown improved outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors affecting overall survival after pulmonary ReTx. METHODS: The United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to identify patients undergoing lung transplantation at our institution from 1995 to 2014. Of the total 542 lung transplants performed, 87 (16.1%) were ReTxs. The primary outcome was overall survival. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to assess the effect of recipient and donor characteristics on survival. RESULTS: Of the patients who underwent ReTx, median survival was 2 years. Predictors of worse survival include recipient age between 50 and 60 years (relative risk, 4.3; p = 0.02) or older than 60 years (relative risk, 10.2; p < 0.001), and time to ReTx of less than 2 years (relative risk, 3.8; p = 0.01). ReTx for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome had longer median survival than for restrictive chronic lung allograft dysfunction (2.7 years vs 0.9 years; p = 0.055). Overall survival of ReTx patients after initiation of the lung allocation score was not significantly different (p = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Lung ReTx outcomes are significantly worse than for primary transplantation but may be appropriate in well-selected patients with certain diagnoses. Lung ReTx in patients older than 50 years or within 2 years of primary lung transplantation was associated with decreased survival. Further work is warranted to identify patients who benefit most from ReTx.

Cytokine profile after lung transplantation: correlation with allograft injury.

BACKGROUND: Post-lung transplant reperfusion edema (PLTRE) and its more severe form, primary graft failure (PGF), occur in 10% to 60% of lung transplant recipients. We hypothesized that PLTRE and PGF would be associated with an elevated proinflammatory cascade and that the allograft would be the source of cytokine appearance in the circulation. METHODS: Pulmonary arterial and systemic arterial samples were obtained at baseline and at 4, 8, and 24 hours after reperfusion. Post-lung transplant reperfusion-edema and PGF were defined as PaO2/FiO2 less than 300 with a mild or moderate infiltrate, or less than 200 with a severe infiltrate and ventilator dependence after 72 hours, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-10 concentrations were determined by immunoassay. RESULTS: Fifteen single and 6 bilateral lung recipients were studied. Six (29%) had PLTRE and 4 (19%) had PGF; these patients had an overall elevation in plasma IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 concentrations (all p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed a significantly greater elevation in IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 levels in PGF patients (all p < 0.01) versus PLTRE. In the PGF group, TNFalpha and IL-10 concentrations were significantly greater in the systemic versus the pulmonary arterial samples (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PLTRE and PGF exhibited graded increases in IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 concentrations. The PGF patients had higher TNFalpha and IL-10 systemic arterial concentrations overall, consistent with the allograft being a source of this cytokine production.