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Biomedical subjects

Selim M Arcasoy

Publications and source records attributed to Selim M Arcasoy.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Six-minute-walk distance predicts waiting list survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

RATIONALE: Functional studies may be useful to predict survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Various cutoffs of 6-min-walk distance (6MWD) have been suggested to identify patients at a high risk of death. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between 6MWD and survival in patients with IPF listed for lung transplantation, and to identify sensitive and specific cutoffs for predicting death at 6 mo. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 454 patients classified as having IPF listed for lung transplantation with the United Network for Organ Sharing between June 30, 2004 and July 22, 2005. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Lower 6MWD was associated with an increased mortality rate (p value for linear trend < 0.0001). Patients with a walk distance less than 207 m had a more than fourfold greater mortality rate than those with a walk distance of 207 m or more, despite adjustment for demographics, anthropomorphics, FVC % predicted, pulmonary hypertension, and medical comorbidities (adjusted rate ratio, 4.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.5-8.9; p < 0.0001). 6MWD was a significantly better predictor of 6-mo mortality than was FVC % predicted (c-statistic = 0.73 vs. 0.59, respectively; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Lower 6MWD was strongly and independently associated with an increased mortality rate for wait-listed patients classified as having IPF. 6MWD was a better predictor of death at 6 mo than was FVC % predicted.

Exercise Test↗

Immunoglobulin G levels before and after lung transplantation.

RATIONALE: The determinants of immunoglobulin G (IgG) level and the risk of hypogammaglobulinemia (HGG) in patients with severe lung disease before and after lung transplantation are unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify predictors of low IgG levels before and after lung transplantation. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 40 consecutive lung transplant recipients at our center. Total IgG levels were measured before and serially after transplantation. Mild HGG was defined as IgG levels from 400-699 mg/dl; severe HGG was defined as IgG levels<400 mg/dl. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Before transplantation, six (15%) patients had mild HGG, and none had severe HGG. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease had lower IgG levels compared with patients with other diseases (independent of corticosteroid use and age; p=0.001) and an increased risk of mild HGG (p=0.005). The cumulative incidences of mild and severe HGG significantly increased after transplantation (58 and 15%, respectively, both p<0.04 compared with pretransplant prevalences). Lower pretransplant IgG level and treatment with mycophenolate mofetil were associated with lower IgG levels after transplantation (both p<0.05). Only lower pretransplant IgG levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of severe HGG after transplantation (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Mild HGG is common in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the incidences of mild and severe HGG increase significantly early after lung transplantation. Baseline IgG levels and treatment with mycophenolate mofetil affect post-transplant IgG levels.

Biomarkers↗

Medical complications after lung transplantation.

Despite remarkable progress in short-term functional and survival outcomes following lung transplantation, long-term outcomes remain limited due to a multitude of medical complications caused predominantly by immunosuppressive protocols. Although chronic allograft rejection and infection account for the majority of deaths beyond the first year after lung transplantation, a large number of other medical problems contribute significantly to excess mortality and morbidity. This article reviews the most frequent and important medical complications of lung transplantation, other than rejection and infection, with an emphasis on complications that involve the respiratory tract.

Humans↗

Osteoporosis in diffuse parenchymal lung disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: There are no studies focused on skeletal status in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD). We hypothesized that patients with DPLD referred for lung transplantation would have a high prevalence of osteoporosis related to corticosteroid use or reduced pulmonary function and exercise capacity. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Eighty-six patients with DPLD referred to our center for lung transplantation evaluation between March 1999 and April 2004. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, total hip, and radius at the time of referral. Criteria developed by the World Health Organization were used to define osteopenia and osteoporosis. Fifty-five patients (64%) had usual interstitial pneumonia-pattern lung disease, 14 patients (16%) had nonspecific interstitial pneumonia-pattern lung disease, and 17 patients (20%) had other forms of DPLD. Sixty-four patients (74%) were receiving corticosteroids, and 43 patients (50%) were receiving preventive therapy for osteoporosis. Eleven patients (13%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7 to 22%) met criteria for osteoporosis at any site, and 49 patients (57%; 95% CI, 46 to 68%) had osteopenia. Lower body mass index (BMI) [adjusted odds ratio (OR), 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.6; p = 0.007] and Hispanic ethnicity (adjusted OR, 9.7; 95% CI, 1.8 to 52; p = 0.008) were independently associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis. Linear regression analysis confirmed that BMD at the femoral neck and hip was directly associated with BMI (p < 0.002). These findings were not affected by adjustment for the use of corticosteroids or osteoporosis prophylaxis, pulmonary function, or exercise performance. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced BMD was common in patients with DPLD who were referred for lung transplantation. Lower BMD was associated with lower BMI, whereas there was no association with other clinical factors in our cohort. Hispanic patients with DPLD had a higher risk of osteoporosis than non-Hispanic patients, independent of other variables. Given their increased risk of bone loss, patients with DPLD should undergo screening for osteoporosis and receive prophylaxis and treatment according to published guidelines.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Risk factors and outcomes of hypogammaglobulinemia after lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Hypogammaglobulinemia (HGG) frequently occurs after solid organ transplantation; however, the prevalence and implications of HGG after lung transplantation are not well defined. The authors aimed to define the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of patients with severe HGG after lung transplantation. METHODS.: The authors performed a retrospective cohort study of 57 lung transplant recipients at their center. Quantitative total and subclass immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels were obtained from patients. RESULTS: Thirty-four (60%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 46%-72%) patients had low IgG levels (IgG <700 mg/dL); of these, eight (14%; 95% CI, 6%-26%) had severe HGG (IgG <400 mg/dL). Female patients had a higher risk of severe HGG than male patients (25% vs. 0%, P=0.007), and patients who underwent transplantation for emphysema had a higher risk of severe HGG than others (P=0.04). Patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome had a higher risk of severe HGG than those without (50% vs. 10%, P=0.03). Severe HGG was associated with an increased risk of pneumonia (P=0.01) and worse survival (P=0.04) but with neither the incidence of cytomegalovirus disease (P=0.54) nor a subsequent diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (P=0.70). CONCLUSIONS: The authors have documented a high prevalence of HGG after lung transplantation. Emphysema, female gender, and bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome are risk factors for severe HGG. Patients with severe HGG had a higher cumulative incidence of pneumonia and worse survival. Studies of the efficacy and safety of IgG supplementation after lung transplantation should be pursued.

Adolescent↗

Outcomes of extended donor lung recipients after lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Lung transplantation is currently limited by the number of suitable donor organs. Many lung-transplant programs use lungs that do not meet the formal criteria for acceptability; however, the immediate and long-term consequences of this approach remain unclear. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent lung transplantation at the Columbia University Medical Center from July 2001 to July 2003. We assessed the outcomes of recipients of extended donor lungs compared with those of recipients of optimal donor lungs after adjusting for confounding variables. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients underwent lung transplantation, of which 27 (53%) received extended donor lungs. Recipients of extended donor lungs had fewer intensive care unit-free days at 30 days (P=0.002) and a longer time to hospital discharge (P=0.007) than did recipients of optimal donor lungs. Extended donor recipients also had lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second % predicted at 1 year than did optimal donor recipients (P=0.03). There were no differences in the 30-day or longer-term survival of extended and optimal donor lung recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Recipients of extended donor lungs have a longer intensive care unit course, a prolonged hospital stay, and lower pulmonary function at 1 year than recipients of optimal lungs. Despite these differences, survival is similar between the two groups. The criteria for the optimal lung donor should be re-evaluated considering the current shortage of acceptable organs. Although some outcomes may differ with the use of extended donor lungs, the clinical impact of these differences should be assessed in future prospective multicenter studies.

Adult↗

Successful bilateral lung transplantation for pulmonary fibrosis associated with the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is a genetic disorder characterized by oculocutaneous albinism, a bleeding diathesis, and in a subset of patients, pulmonary fibrosis. Lung transplantation, the only curative therapy for pulmonary fibrosis, has not been previously reported as a successful treatment strategy for patients with HPS because the bleeding diathesis was thought to contraindicate major thoracic surgery. We successfully performed bilateral sequential lung transplantation in a patient with pulmonary fibrosis and HPS after transfusion of 6 units of platelets. Lung transplantation is a viable therapeutic option in patients with pulmonary fibrosis and only a mild bleeding diathesis associated with HPS.

Adult↗

Exercise testing determines survival in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease evaluated for lung transplantation.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Diffuse parenchymal lung disease is associated with a high risk of mortality despite early referral and listing for lung transplantation. We hypothesized that cardiopulmonary exercise test results and the distance walked in 6min (6MWTD) would be associated with survival in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease referred for lung transplantation. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: We included 51 consecutive patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease who underwent exercise testing after referral to the Lung Transplant Program at the New York Presbyterian Hospital between January 2000 and December 2002. Thirty-three patients were listed, and 7 underwent transplantation during the study period. There were 17 deaths with 1 death post-transplantation. RESULTS: A 6MWTD < 350 m was associated with an increased risk of death (HR = 4.6, 95% CI 1.5-14.2, P = 0.009). Oxygen saturation with unloaded exercise (HR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.84-0.98, P = 0.015) and oxygen consumption at peak exercise adjusted for weight (HR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.79-0.99, P = 0.039) were also associated with the risk of death. A patient with oxygen saturation <95% during unloaded exercise had a 75% chance of dying on the list for transplantation. A patient with 6MWTD < 350 m had a 67% chance of dying on the list. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters and the 6MWTD were associated with the risk of death. Measures during exercise may be useful for determination of prognosis and for prioritizing patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease for lung transplantation.

Adult↗

Association between pulmonary fibrosis and coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary fibrosis and atherosclerosis have many similarities at the histopathologic level. Moreover, fibrotic lung diseases exhibit systemic effects and have the potential to affect the vasculature beyond the lung. The existence of a relationship between the two, however, has not been studied. METHODS: To investigate whether fibrotic lung disorders may predispose to atherosclerosis, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 630 patients referred for lung transplantation evaluation at a university hospital. We compared the prevalence of angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with fibrotic vs nonfibrotic lung diseases. RESULTS: Fibrotic lung diseases were associated with an increased prevalence of CAD compared with nonfibrotic diseases after adjustment for traditional risk factors (odds ratio, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-4.06). The magnitude and significance of this association were maintained when only nongranulomatous fibrotic disease or its subset, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, was examined. The strength of the relationship between fibrotic disorders and CAD increased when multivessel disease was analyzed (odds ratio, 4.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.46-11.9). No significant association was detected for granulomatous fibrotic disorders (odds ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-5.16; P =.47), although this subgroup had fewer cases of CAD for analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support an association between fibrotic lung disorders and CAD. Further research is necessary to confirm this relationship and to explore the pathologic processes underlying, and potentially linking, these 2 conditions.

Adult↗

Medical complications and management of lung transplant recipients.

Lung transplantation is associated with a great number of major medical complications that act in concert to limit the long-term success of this difficult treatment option for advanced lung disease. Close and parallel attention to pulmonary and nonpulmonary medical complications and management of lung transplant recipients by a multidisciplinary team are the most important ingredients of optimal long-term outcomes.

Adult↗

Surrogate markers and risk factors for chronic lung allograft dysfunction.

Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) is the histologic correlate of chronic allograft dysfunction in pulmonary transplantation. The histologic diagnosis of OB is challenging, therefore a physiologic definition, bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) based on pulmonary function tests has been used as a surrogate marker for OB for the last decade. BOS has proven to be the best available surrogate marker for OB and is predictive of the ultimate endpoints of graft and patient survival. Multiple other clinical markers have been reported and proposed as alternates for or complements to BOS grade, but all need further evaluation and validation in large, prospective clinical trials. Lastly, given the early occurrence and high incidence of chronic allograft dysfunction, the easily measurable endpoint of BOS grade, and our lack of understanding of ways to prevent or alter the course of BOS, lung transplant recipients represent an ideal population for clinical trials targeting prevention and treatment of chronic allograft dysfunction.

Adult↗

Local and systemic thrombolytic therapy for acute venous thromboembolism.

Thrombolytic therapy unquestionably leads to more rapid and complete clot lysis with a significantly higher risk of bleeding when compared with anticoagulation. The most definite indication for thrombolytic therapy in patients with VTE is massive PE associated with hemodynamic instability. Other potential indications, although not widely accepted or proven, include PE-related respiratory failure with severe hypoxemia and massive iliofemoral thrombosis with the risk of phlegmasia cerulea dolens. Routine use of thrombolytic therapy in all other cases of PE and DVT cannot be justified. Future research using randomized controlled studies should focus on the following key questions: Do hemodynamically stable patients with PE and right ventricular dysfunction benefit from thrombolysis, and, if so, is there a subset of patients within this group who are most likely to benefit? Does thrombolytic therapy improve long-term outcomes of DVT with a favorable risk-to-benefit ratio, and, if so, which patients are most likely to benefit long-term? What is the precise role of catheter-directed thrombolysis in the treatment of VTE, particularly the use of a low-dose thrombolytic agent in conjunction with mechanical clot disruption to minimize bleeding in patients at high risk? Until these questions are answered, clinicians must approach decision-making regarding the use of thrombolytic therapy in PE and DVT with careful consideration of the potential risks and benefits for the patient within the framework of currently available data.

Acute Disease↗

Clinical risk factors for primary graft failure following lung transplantation.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: s: Primary graft failure (PGF) is a devastating acute lung injury syndrome following lung transplantation. We sought to identify donor, recipient, and operative risk factors for its development. DESIGN: We conducted a cohort study of 255 consecutive lung transplant procedures performed between October 1991 and July 2000. We defined PGF as follows: (1) diffuse alveolar opacities exclusively involving allograft(s) and developing within 72 h of transplant, (2) a ratio of PaO(2) to fraction of inspired oxygen < 200 beyond 48 h postoperatively, and (3) no other secondary cause of graft dysfunction identified. Risk factors were assessed individually and adjusted for confounding using multivariable logistic regression models. SETTING: Tertiary-care academic medical center. RESULTS: The overall incidence was 11.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7.9 to 15.9). Following multivariable analysis, the risk factors independently associated with development of PGF were as follows: a recipient diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 4.52; 95% CI, 1.29 to 15.9; p = 0.018), donor female gender (adjusted OR, 4.11; 95% CI, 1.17 to 14.4; p = 0.027), donor African-American race (adjusted OR, 5.56; 95% CI, 1.57 to 19.8; p = 0.008), and donor age < 21 years (adjusted OR, 4.06; 95% CI, 1.34 to 12.3; p = 0.013) and > 45 years (adjusted OR, 6.79; 95% CI, 1.61 to 28.5; p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Recipient diagnosis of PPH, donor African-American race, donor female gender, and donor age are independently and strongly associated with development of PGF.

Adult↗

Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary hypertension in patients with advanced lung disease.

Doppler echocardiography is commonly used to estimate systolic pulmonary artery pressure and to diagnose pulmonary hypertension, but data relating to its utility in patients with advanced lung disease are limited. In a cohort study of 374 lung transplant candidates, the performance characteristics of echocardiography compared with right heart catheterization in the determination of systolic pulmonary artery pressure and diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension were investigated. The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension was 25% in the study population. Estimation of systolic pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography was possible in 166 patients (44%). The correlation between systolic pulmonary artery pressure estimated by echocardiography and measured by cardiac catheterization was good (r = 0.69, p < 0.0001). However, 52% of pressure estimations were found to be inaccurate (more than 10 mm Hg difference compared with measured pressure), and 48% of patients were misclassified as having pulmonary hypertension by echocardiography. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of systolic pulmonary artery pressure estimation for diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension were 85%, 55%, 52%, and 87%, respectively. In conclusion, despite a statistically significant correlation with directly measured values, estimation of systolic pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography is frequently inaccurate in patients with advanced lung disease and leads to considerable overdiagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.

Adult↗

Cardiopulmonary bypass for bilateral sequential lung transplantation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease without adverse effect on lung function or clinical outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass in lung transplantation remains controversial. Previous studies have concluded that cardiopulmonary bypass is deleterious, but these studies were confounded by the inclusion of patients with different diagnoses undergoing single- and double-lung transplantation with elective or emergency use of bypass. The goal of this study was to determine whether cardiopulmonary bypass has deleterious effects on lung function or clinical outcome by analyzing the cases of patients with a single disease entity and elective use of bypass for bilateral sequential lung transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective review of 50 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who underwent bilateral sequential lung transplantation was performed. Fourteen patients who underwent elective cardiopulmonary bypass for 218.3 +/- 75.4 minutes were compared to 36 control patients. RESULTS: After the operation, the bypass and nonbypass groups were not significantly different with respect to median duration of mechanical ventilation (1 day vs 1 day, P =.76), median stay in the intensive care unit (4 days vs 4 days, P =.44), median hospital stay (15.5 days vs 16 days, P =.74), mean increase in serum creatinine level (1.4 +/- 1.9 mg/dL vs 0.9 +/- 1.0 mg/dL, P =.33), and mean ratio of Pao(2) to fraction of inspired oxygen at 1 hour (376.6 +/- 123 vs 357.0 +/- 218, P =.75), at 24 hours (309.9 +/- 92 vs 350.6 +/- 122, P =.26), and at 48 hours (335.0 +/- 144 vs 316.2 +/- 120, P =.64). Late outcome markers compared between the bypass and nonbypass groups were the following: 1-year percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (76.1% +/- 17.0% vs 85.3% +/- 21.7%, P =.24), 30-day mortality (7.1% vs 8.3%, P >.999), 1-year survival (85.7% vs 80.1%, P =.66), 3-year survival (64.3% vs 58.3%, P =.70), and the prevalence of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (0% vs 36.1%, P =.01). CONCLUSION: Cardiopulmonary bypass appears to have no deleterious effect on early lung function or clinical outcome. We hope that this pilot study removes some of the unwarranted fear of the use of bypass in lung transplantation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Analysis of Variance↗