Comparison of short-term outcomes for connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis after lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary involvement is common in connective tissue disease (CTD), and respiratory failure is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in CTD-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Lung transplantation is thus important for these patients. However, survival, outcomes, and management of these patients after transplantation have been debated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes for CTD-ILD compared to those for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) after lung transplantation.

METHODS: We performed a single-centre retrospective study of 62 patients with CTD-ILD or IPF who underwent lung transplantation at a tertiary hospital in South Korea between October 2012 and October 2016.

RESULTS: Patients with CTD-ILD (n=15) were younger (46 vs. 60 years, P=0.001) and were less likely to be male (33.3% vs. 76.6%, P=0.004) than were patients with IPF (n=47). The 1-year cumulative survival rate was 80.0% for CTD-ILD and 59.6% for IPF (log-rank P=0.394). There was no difference in the cumulative survival rate (log-rank P=0.613) of age- and sex-matched patients with CTD-ILD (n=15) and IPF (n=15). The incidence of primary graft dysfunction was similar (P=0.154), and 2 (18.2%) patients developed possible CTD flare.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CTD-ILD and those with IPF who underwent lung transplantation had similar survival rates.