The Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Apr 2005
Comparative StudyBronchial hyperresponsiveness and the bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation.
Because bronchial hyperresponsiveness has been linked to the bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), we determined PD(20) methacholine (PD(20(M))), PD(15) hypertonic saline (PD(15(HS))) and their dose-response slopes (DRS(M) and DRS(HS)) in 8 single and 18 double lung transplant recipients within 1 year of lung transplantation and examined the relationship to bronchoalveolar lavage cell profiles and subsequent development of BOS. Twenty-two patients (81%) had a positive methacholine and 6 (25%) a positive hypertonic saline challenge. ⋯ Interestingly, DRS(HS) correlated positively with recipient:donor total lung capacity ratio (r = 0.5, p < 0.05), but there was no relationship between either challenge result and airway inflammation. Methacholine hyperresponsiveness is common after lung transplantation but is not prognostic, whereas response to hypertonic saline may reflect recipient:donor size matching and provide useful information regarding the potential for BOS development.
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J. Heart Lung Transplant. · Apr 2005
Comparative StudyQuality of life after lung transplantation: a cross-sectional study.
The increase in life expectancy has raised the importance of quality of life after lung transplantation, although this issue has not yet been systematically investigated. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to provide an overview of quality of life in lung transplant patients. ⋯ Although lung transplant patients must cope with the side effects of immunosuppression, they report a highly satisfying quality of life with regard to physical and emotional well-being and social and sexual function.