The influence of retransplantation on survival for pediatric lung transplant recipients

Lung transplantation in children

Lung transplantation is a well-established treatment for children facing advanced lung disease and pulmonary vascular disorders. However, organ shortage remains highest in children. For fitting the small chest of children, transplantation of downsized adult lungs, lobes, or even segments were successfully established. The worldwide median survival after pediatric lung transplantation is currently 5.7 years, while under consideration of age, underlying disease, and peri- and posttransplant center experience, median survival of more than 10 years is reported. Timing of referral for transplantation, ischemia-reperfusion injury, primary graft dysfunction, and acute and chronic rejection after transplantation remain the main challenges.

A multicentric evaluation of pediatric lung transplantation in Italy

BACKGROUND

Pediatric lung transplantation is performed in highly experienced centers due to the peculiar population characteristics. The literature is limited and not representative of individual countries' differences. The purpose of this study was to analyze the Italian experience.

METHODS

A multicentric retrospective analysis was performed on 110 pediatric patients (<18 years old) who underwent lung transplantation from 1992 to 2019 at 9 Italian centers. Heart-lung transplantations and lung retransplantations were excluded.

RESULTS

The population was composed of 44 male and 66 female patients, with a median age of 15 years. The most frequent indication was cystic fibrosis (83%). One quarter of patients were transplanted in an emergency setting. Median donors' Oto score and age were 1 and 15 years, respectively, with 43% of adult donors. In 17% of patients a graft reduction was performed. Postoperatively, the median duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit, and in-hospital stay were 48 hours, 11 and 35 days, respectively. Thirty-day mortality was 6%, and 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival was 72%, 52%, and 33%, respectively. Risk factors for mortality were Oto score and recipients' body mass index.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcomes of pediatric lung transplantation in Italy are comparable with current literature. Particular attention should be paid to the Oto score and recipient body mass index. Conversely, adult donors and graft reductions can be safely used to expand the donor pool.

Paediatric lung transplantation: the impact of age on the survival

OBJECTIVES

We herein review the outcomes of paediatric lung transplantation (LTx) and analyse subgroups divided by age.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 43 consecutive paediatric LTx recipients (< 18 years old: cadaveric LTx [n = 9], living-donor lobar LTx [n = 34]). We also analysed subgroups of patients 1-6 years old (n = 10) and 7-17 years old (n = 33).

RESULTS

The 1-, 5- and 10-year overall survival (OS) rates in paediatric recipients were 93%, 82% and 67%, respectively. The 1-, 5- and 10-year graft dysfunction (GD)-free survival rates in paediatric recipients were 85%, 59% and 31%, respectively. The 1- and 5-year OS in the 1- to 6-year-old vs. 7- to 17-year-old groups were 70% vs. 100% and 48% vs. 93%, respectively (p < 0.0001). The 1- and 5-year GD-free survival rates in the 1- to 6-year-old vs. 7- to 17-year-old groups were 60% vs. 93% and 24% vs. 69%, respectively (p = 0.024). The 1- to 6-year-old group showed higher rates of non-standard LTx (p = 0.0001), interstitial pneumonia (p = 0.004) and ventilator dependency (p = 0.007) than the 7- to 17-year-old group.

CONCLUSION

Paediatric recipients under 7 years old seemed to have a higher risk of mortality and GD than those 7 years old and older.

Cystic fibrosis in children: A pediatric anesthesiologist's perspective

Cystic fibrosis is a multi-systemic disease of impaired sodium and chloride transport across epithelial surfaces. Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common autosomal recessive diseases among Caucasian children. However, recent epidemiologic studies suggest that the disease in Hispanic, African American, and Asian American populations may be more common than previously recognized. The phenotypic expression is characterized by the constellation of pulmonary, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Progressive obstructive lung disease is the hallmark of cystic fibrosis, and end-stage respiratory failure is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality. The most significant advance in the care has been the development of cystic fibrosis modulators, a class of drugs that restore cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator folding, intracellular processing, or function. Improved diagnostic abilities, a multidisciplinary approach to medical management, and the use of cystic fibrosis modulators have led to improvement in the quality of life and life expectancy. These patients undergo range of procedures such as nasal polypectomy, placement of gastrostomy tubes, vascular access device placement, transbronchial lung biopsies, and other thoracic surgeries. The anesthetic care of children with advanced cystic fibrosis disease is complex. Preoperative optimization can help improve postoperative outcomes. Strategies for pain control should rely on non-opiate, multimodal adjuncts, and regional or neuraxial techniques. Unfortunately for some children, a progressive respiratory disease often leads to end-stage respiratory failure and lung transplant surgery remains the only viable treatment option. Widespread use of lung transplant surgery as a treatment option is severely constraint by donor organ availability. Primary graft dysfunction is the most common cause of early death and can be seen within 48 h of surgery. Median long-term survival after lung transplant remains modest. Chronic lung allograft dysfunction, opportunistic infections, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality among long-term survivors.

Consensus document for the selection of lung transplant candidates: An update from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation

Tens of thousands of patients with advanced lung diseases may be eligible to be considered as potential candidates for lung transplant around the world each year. The timing of referral, evaluation, determination of candidacy, and listing of candidates continues to pose challenges and even ethical dilemmas. To address these challenges, the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation appointed an international group of members to review the literature, to consider recent advances in the management of advanced lung diseases, and to update prior consensus documents on the selection of lung transplant candidates. The purpose of this updated consensus document is to assist providers throughout the world who are caring for patients with pulmonary disease to identify potential candidates for lung transplant, to optimize the timing of the referral of these patients to lung transplant centers, and to provide transplant centers with a framework for evaluating and selecting candidates. In addition to addressing general considerations and providing disease specific recommendations for referral and listing, this updated consensus document includes an ethical framework, a recognition of the variability in acceptance of risk between transplant centers, and establishes a system to account for how a combination of risk factors may be taken into consideration in candidate selection for lung transplantation.

Indications and outcome after lung transplantation in children under 12 years of age: A 16-year single center experience

OBJECTIVE

Paediatric lung transplantation poses unique management challenges. Experience regarding indications and outcome is scarce, especially in younger children. The primary aim of this study was to investigate outcome after first lung transplantation in children <12 years of age in comparison to adolescents (12-17 years old).

METHODS

Records of patients <18 years who underwent first lung transplantation between 01/2005 and 01/2021 were retrospectively reviewed, and compared between children <12 years old and adolescents. Median (IQR) follow-up was 51 (23-91) months.

RESULTS

Of the 117 patients underwent first lung transplantation at our institution, of whom 42 (35.8%) patients were <12 years and 75 (64.2%) ≥12 years old. Compared to adolescents, children were more often transplanted for interstitial lung disease (33.3% vs 12%, p = 0.005) and precapillary pulmonary hypertension (28.6% vs 12%, p = 0.025), and required more often intraoperative cardiopulmonary bypass (31% vs 14.7%, p = 0.036) and postoperative ECMO support (47.6% vs 13.3%, p < 0.001). Postoperatively, children required longer ventilation times (78 vs 18 hours, p = 0.009) and longer ICU stay (9.5 vs 3 days, p < 0.001) compared to their older counterparts. Primary graft dysfunction grade 3 at 72 hours (9.5% vs 9.3%, p = 0.999), in-hospital mortality (2.4% vs 6.7%, p = 0.418), graft survival (80% vs 62%, p = 0.479) and freedom from chronic lung allograft dysfunction (76% vs 59%, p = 0.41) at 8-year follow-up did not differ between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Lung transplantation in children under 12 years is challenging due to underlying medical conditions and operative complexity. Nevertheless, outcomes are comparable to those in older children.

A comparison of cardiopulmonary bypass versus extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Does intraoperative circulatory support strategy affect outcomes in pediatric lung transplantation?

OBJECTIVE

Data on adult lung transplantation suggest perioperative benefits of intraoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) compared to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Information regarding their pediatric counterparts, however, is limited. This study compares outcomes of intraoperative ECMO versus CPB in pediatric lung transplantation.

METHODS

We reviewed all pediatric lung transplants at our institution from 2014 to 2019 and compared those supported intraoperatively on ECMO (n = 13) versus CPB (n = 22), plus a conditional analysis excluding re-transplantations (ECMO [n = 13] versus CPB [n = 20]). We evaluated survival, surgical times, intraoperative transfusions, postoperative support, complications, and duration of hospitalization.

RESULTS

Total time on ECMO support was significantly less than that of CPB support (P = .018). Intraoperatively, the ECMO group required fewer transfusions of fresh-frozen plasma (8.9 [5.8-22.3] vs 16.6 [11.4-39.0] mL/kg, P = .049) and platelets (4.2 [0.0-6.7] vs 8.0 [3.5-14.0] mL/kg, P = .049). When excluding re-transplantations, patients on ECMO required fewer packed red blood cells intraoperatively (12.6 [2.1-30.7] vs 28.2 [14.0-54.0] mL/kg, P = .048). There were no differences in postoperative support requirements, complications, or mortality at one, six, and twelve months.

CONCLUSIONS

Intraoperative ECMO support during pediatric lung transplantation appears to decrease intraoperative transfusion requirements when compared to CPB. Data from additional institutions may strengthen these observations.

Comparison of mechanical cardiopulmonary support strategies during lung transplantation

INTRODUCTION

Lung transplantation outcomes are influenced by the intraoperative mechanical cardiopulmonary support strategy used. This surgery was historically done either on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or off pump. Recently, there has been increased interest in intraoperative support with veno-arterial (VA) or veno-venous (VV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, there is a lack of consensus on the relative risks, benefits and indications for each intraoperative support strategy.

AREAS COVERED

This review includes information from cohort studies, case-control studies, and case series that compare morbidity and/or mortality of two or more intraoperative cardiopulmonary support strategies during lung transplantation.

EXPERT OPINION

The optimal strategy for intraoperative cardiopulmonary support during lung transplantation remains an area of debate. Current data suggest that off pump is associated with better outcomes and could be considered whenever feasible. ECMO is generally associated with preferable outcomes to CPB, but the data supporting this association is not robust. Interestingly, whether CPB is unplanned or prolonged might influence outcomes more than the use of CPB itself. These observations can help guide surgical teams in their approach for intraoperative mechanical support strategy during lung transplantation and should serve as the basis for further investigations.

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction: light at the end of the tunnel?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) has been recently introduced as an umbrella-term encompassing all forms of chronic pulmonary function decline posttransplant with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and restrictive allograft syndrome as the most important subtypes. Differential diagnosis and management, however, remains complicated.

RECENT FINDINGS

Herein, we provide an overview of the different diagnostic criteria (pulmonary function, body plethysmography and radiology) used to differentiate bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and restrictive allograft syndrome, their advantages and disadvantages as well as potential problems in making an accurate differential diagnosis. Furthermore, we discuss recent insights in CLAD management and treatment and advances in the search for accurate biomarkers of CLAD.

SUMMARY

Careful dissection of CLAD phenotypes is of utmost importance to assess patient prognosis, but uniform diagnostic criteria are desperately needed. There is a long way ahead, but the first steps towards this goal are now taken; tailored individualized therapy will be the golden standard to treat CLAD in the future, but randomized placebo-controlled and multicentre trials are needed to identify new and powerful therapeutic agents.