PH Raises Mortality Risk in Lung Transplant Recipients with COPD

Mortality rates are higher among patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) following bilateral lung transplantation, but not following single lung transplantation, according to the results of a recent study.

The researchers conducted a study of 3105 patients with COPD who underwent lung transplants, tracking patients from transplant date until death or censoring. Overall, 54% of the participants met diagnostic criterion for PH, with an average pulmonary artery pressure of 25 mmHg or higher, as determined by right heart catheterization. Among those patients, 653 underwent single lung transplant, and 1033 underwent bilateral lung transplant.

Multivariable analysis found that hazard ratios (HR) for mortality increased with an increase of 10 mmHg in mean pulmonary artery pressure among recipients of bilateral lung transplant (HR 1.12), but not among single lung transplant recipients (HR 0.92).

“PH prior to bilateral [lung transplant] in patients with COPD is associated with higher mortality risk,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Hayes D, Tumin D, Budev MM, et al. Adverse outcomes associated with pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after bilateral lung transplantation. [published online April 22, 2017]. doi: 10.1016/j.rmed.2017.04.010.