Outcomes after lung transplantation in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 4 million people in the USA, with a prevalence of 1.4%. The seropositivity rate among potential lung transplant candidates is 1.

Restless legs syndrome in lung transplant recipients.

Background: Given the increased incidence of steroid-induced diabetes and drug-induced anemia, renal dysfunction and neuropathy, we believed that lung transplant recipients would be at an increased risk of developing restless legs syndrome (RLS). We performed a cross-sectional, observational study to determine the prevalence and characteristics of RLS in this population.

Methods: Patients filled out two questionnaires during a routine visit: (1) a diagnostic tool for RLS, based on the core clinical features; and (2) a 10-question rating scale used to assess severity.

Acanthosis nigricans following single lung transplantation: a case report.

Acanthosis nigricans was observed 3 months after single lung transplantation in a 51-year-old African American woman with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The patient had no endocrinological abnormalities and was not taking any medications known to cause acanthosis nigricans; extensive investigation did not reveal an underlying malignant process. Because acanthosis nigricans may occur as a paraneoplastic phenomenon, it is important to rule out an underlying malignancy.

Discordant utility of ideal body weight and body mass index as predictors of mortality in lung transplant recipients.

Background: An upper limit of 130% predicted ideal body weight (PIBW) has been promulgated for assessing lung transplant (LTx) candidacy, but no data in the lung transplant population support this value. A prior study used body mass index (BMI) to suggest greater mortality risk in obese allograft recipients, but the number of studied patients was small.

Methods: Pre-operative PIBW percentage and BMI were obtained for all first-time, adult LTx recipients at our institution (n = 283).