With increasing experience in high-volume centers, age alone should not be an absolute contra-indication to lung transplantation (LT) but be considered as part of the patient's initial characteristics. The objective of this study is to provide early and long-term outcomes of LT in recipients aged 65 or older, compared with their younger counterparts.
This is a retrospective study, including all patients undergoing LT in Bichat Hospital (Paris, France) from January 2014 to March 2019. Two groups were defined depending on the patients’ age when they were transplanted: patients older than 65 were defined as the “elderly group” and patients younger than 65 years old were defined as the « younger group ». Primary endpoint was 90-day mortality. Secondary endpoints included 1-year mortality, 1-year FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second), and 5-year overall survival.
From September 2014 to March 2019, 22 patients were included in the “elderly group” and 213 were included in the « younger group ». The elderly group had more single LT (SLT) (82% vs. 29%, p < 0.001), with a shorter cold ischemic time (243 min vs. 310 min, p = 0.001) and a lower rate of early humoral rejection (9% vs. 30%, p = 0.045) compared to the younger group. Ninety-day mortality was not significantly different between elderly and younger group (9% vs. 14%, p = 0.95, respectively), nor were 1-year mortality (23% vs. 25%, p = 0.9, respectively) and 5-year overall survival. Six months after LT, FEV1 was significantly better in the elderly group compared to the younger group (77.0% vs. 65.5%, p = 0.037 respectively), but the difference did not reach statistical significance after one year (78.5 vs. 68.3%, p = 0.18 respectively).
Elderly patients underwent more frequently single LT, and achieved similar short and long term postoperative outcomes compared to their younger counterparts. LT for patients 65 years or older should be routinely considered when carefully selected.
Pulmonary nodules are a common incidental finding on chest Computed Tomography scans (CT), most of the time outside of lung cancer screening (LCS). We aimed to evaluate the number of incidental pulmonary nodules (IPN) found in 1 year in our hospital, as well as the follow-up (FUP) rate and the clinical and radiological features associated with FUP.
We trained a Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool to identify the transcripts mentioning the presence of a pulmonary nodule, among a large population of patients from a French hospital. We extracted nodule characteristics using keyword analysis. NLP algorithm accuracy was determined through manual reading from a sample of our population. Electronic health database and medical record analysis by clinician allowed us to obtain information about FUP and cancer diagnoses.
In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed 101,703 transcripts corresponding to the entire CTs performed in 2020. We identified 1,991 (2 %) patients with an IPN. NLP accuracy for nodule detection in CT reports was 99 %. Only 41 % received a FUP between January 2020 and December 2021. Patient age, nodule size, and the mention of the nodule in the impression part were positively associated with FUP, while nodules diagnosed in the context of COVID-19 were less followed. 36 (2 %) lung cancers were subsequently diagnosed, with 16 (45 %) at a non-metastatic stage.
We identified a high prevalence of IPN with a low FUP rate, encouraging the implementation of IPN management program. We also highlighted the potential of NLP for database analysis in clinical research.
The EQ-5D is the recommended measure to capture health-related quality of life (HRQoL), recognised for use in health technology appraisal bodies. In order to assess whether it is appropriate to use the EQ-5D for making decisions about the cost-utility of treatments in cystic fibrosis (CF), this study assesses the performance of the EQ-5D-5L in adults and adolescents with CF.
This was a cross-sectional observational survey study of patients with CF attending a single large CF centre. Participants were asked to complete a survey that included two HRQoL measures; the EQ-5D-5L and CF Quality of Life (CFQoL) questionnaires.
Among 213 participants, the median EQ-5D-5L index score was 0.76 (IQR 0.66 – 0.84) and the visual analogue (EQ-VAS) was 70 (60 – 80). Both the EQ-5D index and EQ-VAS discriminated between disease severity based on lung function (p = 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively) and pulmonary exacerbation (p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively); however, EQ-VAS differentiated between more lung function severity groups compared to EQ-5D index. The EQ-5D-5L demonstrated convergent validity as its dimensions, index score, and EQ-VAS had significant correlations with most CFQoL domains. Though, EQ-VAS significantly predicted more domains of CFQoL (4 domains) compared to EQ-5D index (only 1 domain).
The generic EQ-5D-5L performed adequately in discriminating between CF disease severity, and its index score and EQ-VAS had moderate correlations with CFQoL. However, using a complementary condition-specific measure alongside the EQ-5D-5L can provide better insight of HRQoL in CF and benefit the process of cost-utility analysis.
S. maltophilia infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Little is known regarding its presentation, management, and outcome in lung transplant recipients.
This retrospective case control study reviewed S. maltophilia respiratory tract infection in lung transplant recipients (01/01/2011-31/01/2020) and described the clinical, microbiological and outcome characteristics matched with lung transplant recipients without respiratory tract infection.
We identified 63 S. maltophilia infections in lung transplant recipients. Among them none were colonized before transplantation. Infections occurred a median of 177 (IQR: 45- 681) days post transplantation. Fifty-four (85.7 %) patients received trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (400/80 mg three times a week) to prevent Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP). S. maltophilia strains were susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, levofloxacin, minocycline and ceftazidime in respectively 85.7 %, 82.5 %, 96.8 % and 34.9 % of cases. Median duration of treatment was 9 days (IQR 7–11.5). Clinical and microbiological recurrence were observed in respectively 25.3 % and 39.7 % of cases. Combination therapy was not associated with a decrease in the risk of recurrence and did not prevent the emergence of resistance. S. maltophilia respiratory tract infection was associated with a decline in FEV-1 at one year.
S. maltophilia is an important cause of lower respiratory tract infection in lung transplant recipients. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole use as prophylaxis for PJP doesn't prevent S. maltophilia infection among lung transplant recipients. Levofloxacin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole appear to be the two molecules of choice for the treatment of these infections and new antibiotic strategies (cefiderocol, aztreonam/avibactam) are currently being evaluated for multi-resistant S. maltophilia infections.
Pneumonias are events of great prognostic significance in COPD, so it is important to identify predictive factors.
To determine whether poor glycemic control is related to an increased risk of pneumonia in COPD.
A historical cohort study conducted in a COPD clinic. The first severe exacerbation after the first visit was analyzed. Exacerbations that presented with pulmonary infiltrates were identified. A Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed including the values of glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb1Ac) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and variables that could plausibly be related to the risk of pneumonia. The best Hb1Ac value to predict pneumonia was assessed using receiver-operating characteristics analysis.
There were 1124 cases included in the study. A total of 411 patients were admitted to the hospital at least once and 87 were diagnosed with pneumonia. Variables associated with the risk of pneumonia were previous admissions due to COPD and Hb1Ac values (HR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.06 – 5.08, p = 0.03). A higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with a lower risk of pneumonia. The optimal cutoff point for Hb1Ac to predict pneumonia risk was 7.8 %. The patients were classified into 3 groups: (1) no DM, (2) controlled DM (Hb1AC < 7.8 %), (3) uncontrolled DM (Hb1AC ≥ 7.8 %). The risk of pneumonia for group 2 was not different from group 1, while the risk for group 3 was significantly higher than for groups 1 and 2 (HR: 4.52, 95 % CI: 1.57 – 13.02).
Poor control of DM is a predictor of the risk of pneumonia in COPD. The cutoff point of 7.8 % for this variable seems to be the most useful to identify patients at risk.