The role of palliative care in lung transplantation.

Lung transplantation confers meaningful benefit for patients by extending life and improving quality of life. Palliative care is a medical specialty that likewise aims to improve the quality of life of patients enduring serious illness and their caregivers. Yet, while transplant candidates and recipients face serious illness they rarely receive palliative care, even at end of life.

Extracorporeal photopheresis to attenuate decline in lung function due to refractory obstructive allograft dysfunction.

Background: This study was designed to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) to attenuate the rate of decline of FEV in lung transplant recipients with refractory bronchiolitis obliterans. Due to an observed higher than expected early mortality, a preliminary analysis was performed.

Study Design And Methods: Subjects from 10 lung transplant centres were assigned to ECP treatment or to observation based on spirometric criteria, with potential crossover for those under observation.

Factors Associated With Mortality and Response to Extracorporeal Photopheresis in Lung Allograft Recipients With Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome.

Background: This study was designed to identify factors associated with clinical response to extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) and mortality after ECP in lung allograft recipients with bronchiolitis obliterans.

Methods: Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) values obtained 6 months before (baseline) and 6 months after initiation of ECP were used to plot the linear relationship between FEV1 versus time before and after ECP. Response to ECP was assigned when a positive integer was derived after subtracting the baseline rate of decline from the rate of decline 6 months after ECP.