Outcomes of lung transplantation for pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis: A French multicentric retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) has no currently available specific treatment. Benefits of lung transplantation (LT) for PPFE are poorly documented.

Methods: We conducted a nation-wide multicentric retrospective study in patients who underwent lung or heart-lung transplantation for chronic end-stage lung disease secondary to PPFE between 2012 and 2022 in France.

Results: Thirty-one patients were included. At transplantation, median age was 48 years [IQR 35-55]. About 64.5% were women. Twenty-one (67.7%) had idiopathic PFFE. Sixteen (52%) had bilateral LT, 10 (32%) had single LT, 4 (13%) had lobar transplantation and one (3%) had heart-lung transplantation. Operative mortality was 3.2%. Early mortality (<90 days or during the first hospitalization) was 32%. Eleven patients (35.5%) underwent reoperation for hemostasis. Eight (30.8%) experienced bronchial complications. Mechanical ventilation time was 10 days [IQR 2-55]. Length of stay in intensive care unit and hospital were 34 [IQR 18-73] and 64 [IQR 36-103] days, respectively. Median survival was 21 months. Post-transplant survival rates after 1, 2, and 5 years were 57.9%, 42.6% and 38.3% respectively. Low albuminemia (p = 0.046), FVC (p = 0.021), FEV1 (p = 0.009) and high emergency lung transplantation (p = 0.04) were associated with increased early mortality. Oversized graft tended to be correlated to a higher mortality (p = 0.07).

Conclusion: LT for PPFE is associated with high post-operative morbi-mortality rates. Patients requiring high emergency lung transplantation with advanced disease, malnutrition, or critical clinical status experienced worse outcomes.

Gov identifier: NCT05044390.

Keywords: PPFE; complications; interstitial lung disease; lung transplantation; pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis.