Survival of cystic fibrosis patients undergoing liver and liver-lung transplantations.

BACKGROUND

We evaluated the outcome of combined liver-lung transplantation (L-LTx) in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with liver transplantation (LTx) for CF liver disease.

METHODS

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data were analyzed from October 1987 to August 2009.

RESULTS

Of 294 patients (210 children), 265 (90.1%) received an LTx and 29, an L-LTx. Patient survival was: adult LTx, 80%, 74%, and 67% at 1, 3, and 5 years, and L-LTx, 72%, 61.4%, and 61.4% (P = .7); pediatric LTx, 85%, 82%, and 74% at 1, 3, and 5 years, and L-LTx, 83%, 83%, and 83% (P = .4). Pediatric patients had a slight survival advantage over adults for LTx (P = .08). Graft survival, not affected by immunosuppression regimens, was similar to patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The outcome of L-LTx appears similar to LTx in CF providing support for the prospect of a combined transplant.