Spirometric assessment of lung transplanted patients: one year follow-up

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare spirometric data between patients submitted to single-lung and double-lung transplantation along the first year after the transplant procedure. Introduction: Lung transplant was first described as an experimental method in 1963; it became a therapeutic option for patients with advanced pulmonary diseases due to improvements in the organ conservation, surgical techniques, immunosuppressive therapy, and treatment of post-operative infections. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of 39 patients, who received lung transplantation in our institution between August, 2003 and August, 2006. The Post-transplant survival after 1 year occurred in 29 patients, and all of them were followed-up. Results: Increase of the lung function in double-lung transplant group occurred earlier, presenting statistical difference after the 1st month both in the FEV1 and FVC compared to pre-transplant values (p <0.05). As to the group of patients with emphysema, comparison between two groups showed from the 3rd month a difference of the lung function. Discussion: Both analysis of the whole group added to the subgroup of emphysema patients supplied relevant data that points out the advantage of the bilateral over the unilateral transplantation. Although values of pre-transplant lung function were worse in the double-lung group, such difference did not occur again in the subsequent months to the surgery. Conclusion: There was a clear tendency to higher and earlier improvement in FVC and FEV1 in the bilateral transplant group.