BACKGROUND: When high-risk lung transplant candidates are evaluated, nutritional state is often neglected. We evaluated the prevalence of markers reflecting pre-transplant malnutrition and their association with post-operative complications and death. METHODS: From January 2005 to July 2010, 453 patients underwent primary lung transplantation at our institution. Pre-operative nutrition-related variables, including body mass index and weight/height ratio, reflecting cachexia, and albumin, total protein, immunoglobulins, and absolute lymphocyte count were considered in identifying risk factors for time-related major post-operative complications (renal failure requiring dialysis, respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy), pulmonary or bloodstream infections, and death. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients had BMI <18.5 kg/m(2), 41 had a weight/height ratio ≤ 0.3, 102 had albumin <3.5 g/dl, 110 had total protein <6 g/dl, and 112 had an absolute lymphocyte count <1,000/μl, indicative of a malnourished state. At 6 months, 30% had experienced pulmonary infection, with lower total serum protein concentration an important risk (p = 0.02). One-year actuarial mortality was 15%; risk factors included lower serum albumin (p = 0.004), particularly when <3 g/dl. In contrast, variables reflecting nutritional state were not statistically significantly correlated with dialysis, respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy, or bloodstream infections. CONCLUSION: Although malnutrition is uncommon in lung transplant patients, those at extremes of low serum albumin and total protein have worse survival and increased risk of post-operative infection. Strategies to improve nutrition of these high-risk candidates awaiting lung transplantation should be developed.
BACKGROUND: When high-risk lung transplant candidates are evaluated, nutritional state is often neglected. We evaluated the prevalence of markers reflecting pre-transplant malnutrition and their association with post-operative complications and death. METHODS: From January 2005 to July 2010, 453 patients underwent primary lung transplantation at our institution. Pre-operative nutrition-related variables, including body mass index and weight/height ratio, reflecting cachexia, and albumin, total protein, immunoglobulins, and absolute lymphocyte count were considered in identifying risk factors for time-related major post-operative complications (renal failure requiring dialysis, respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy), pulmonary or bloodstream infections, and death. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients had BMI <18.5 kg/m(2), 41 had a weight/height ratio ≤ 0.3, 102 had albumin <3.5 g/dl, 110 had total protein <6 g/dl, and 112 had an absolute lymphocyte count <1,000/μl, indicative of a malnourished state. At 6 months, 30% had experienced pulmonary infection, with lower total serum protein concentration an important risk (p = 0.02). One-year actuarial mortality was 15%; risk factors included lower serum albumin (p = 0.004), particularly when <3 g/dl. In contrast, variables reflecting nutritional state were not statistically significantly correlated with dialysis, respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy, or bloodstream infections. CONCLUSION: Although malnutrition is uncommon in lung transplant patients, those at extremes of low serum albumin and total protein have worse survival and increased risk of post-operative infection. Strategies to improve nutrition of these high-risk candidates awaiting lung transplantation should be developed.
Authors: Lorriana E Leard; Are M Holm; Maryam Valapour; Allan R Glanville; Sandeep Attawar; Meghan Aversa; Silvia V Campos; Lillian M Christon; Marcelo Cypel; Göran Dellgren; Matthew G Hartwig; Siddhartha G Kapnadak; Nicholas A Kolaitis; Robert M Kotloff; Caroline M Patterson; Oksana A Shlobin; Patrick J Smith; Amparo Solé; Melinda Solomon; David Weill; Marlies S Wijsenbeek; Brigitte W M Willemse; Selim M Arcasoy; Kathleen J Ramos Journal: J Heart Lung Transplant Date: 2021-07-24 Impact factor: 13.569
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Authors: L Paglicci; V Borgo; N Lanzarone; M Fabbiani; C Cassol; M G Cusi; M Valassina; S Scolletta; E Bargagli; L Marchetti; P Paladini; L Luzzi; A Fossi; D Bennett; F Montagnani Journal: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis Date: 2021-01-21 Impact factor: 3.267
Authors: Joanna M Schaenman; Joshua M Diamond; John R Greenland; Cynthia Gries; Cassie C Kennedy; Amit D Parulekar; Dmitry Rozenberg; Jonathan P Singer; Lianne G Singer; Laurie D Snyder; Sangeeta Bhorade Journal: Am J Transplant Date: 2020-12-24 Impact factor: 9.369