Limitations of spirometry in detecting rejection after single-lung transplantation

Frank S. Becker, Fernando J. Martinez*, Louis A. Brunsting, G. Michael Deeb, Andrew Flint, Joseph P. Lynch

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pulmonary function testing has been extensively studied in the heart-lung transplant (HLT) population and has been advocated as a screening test for rejection or infection; however, few data are available in the single-lung transplant (SLT) population. The effect of acute episodes of infection, rejection, and bronchiolitis on the pulmonary function of 30 SLT patients with varying underlying disease states was prospectively evaluated. The native disease process was obstructive in 17 (SLT-OBS), restrictive in six (SLT-IPF), and pulmonary vascular in seven (SLT-PVD). Rejection was associated with a drop in FVC from 71 ± 15 to 62 ± 14% of predicted, with a significant drop seen in all three subgroups. Statistically significant drops in FEV1 were also seen in the SLT-OBS and SLT-PVD subgroups but not in the SLT-IPF subgroup. A drop in FEV(25-75%) was seen only in SLT-PVD. The greatest fall in FVC, FEV1, and FEF(25-75%) was seen with bronchiolitis, followed by acute rejection. The sensitivity and specificity of spirometry as a predictor of infection or rejection were significantly lower than those previously reported for HLT, with SLT-PVD having the most and SLT-OBS the least clinically useful values. We conclude that a fall in spirometry is seen in infection and rejection in SLT and that the underlying disease state has a significant influence on the diagnostic utility of specific spirometric indices.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)159-166
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican journal of respiratory and critical care medicine
Volume150
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1994

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine

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