Characteristics and outcomes of patients with lung transplantation requiring admission to the medical ICU.

BACKGROUND: There are few data on characteristics and outcomes among patients with lung transplantation (LT) requiring admission to the medical ICU (MICU) beyond the perioperative period.

METHODS: We interrogated the registry database of all admissions to the MICU at Cleveland Clinic (a 53-bed closed unit) to identify patients with history of LT done > 30 days ago (n = 101; mean age, 55.4 ± 12.6 years; 53 men, 48 women). We collected data regarding demographics, history of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, preadmission FEV1, clinical and laboratory variables at admission, MICU course, length of stay, hospital survival, and 6-month survival.

RESULTS: The most common indication for MICU admission was acute respiratory failure (n = 51, 50.5%). Infections were most frequently responsible for respiratory failure, whereas acute rejection (cellular or humoral) was less likely (16%). Nearly one-fourth of the patients required hemodialysis (24.1%), and more than one-half required invasive mechanical ventilation (53.5%). Despite excellent hospital survival (88 of 101), 6-month survival was modest (56.4%). APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) III score at admission and single LT were independent predictors of hospital survival but did not predict outcome at 6 months. Functional status at discharge was the only independent predictor of 6-month survival (adjusted OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 1.1-22.7; P = .035).

CONCLUSIONS: Acute rejection is an infrequent cause of decompensation among patients with LT requiring MICU admission. For patients admitted to the MICU, 6-month survival is modest. Functional status at the time of discharge is an independent predictor of survival at 6 months.