RESUMO
RATIONALE: Up to one-third of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) awaiting lung transplantation (LTX) die while waiting. Inclusion of computed tomography (CT) scores may improve survival prediction models such as the lung allocation score (LAS). OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the association between CT and survival in patients with CF screened for LTX. METHODS: Clinical data and chest CTs of 411 patients with CF screened for LTX between 1990 and 2005 were collected from 17 centers. CTs were scored with the Severe Advanced Lung Disease (SALD) four-category scoring system, including the components infection/inflammation (INF), air trapping/hypoperfusion (AT), normal/hyperperfusion (NOR), and bulla/cysts (BUL). The volume of each component was computed using semiautomated software. Survival analysis included Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression models. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-six (186 males) of 411 patients entered the waiting list (median age, 23 yr; range, 5-58 yr). Subsequently, 67 of 366 (18%) died while waiting, 263 of 366 (72%) underwent LTX, and 36 of 366 (10%) were awaiting LTX at the census date. INF and LAS were significantly associated with waiting list mortality in univariate analyses. The multivariate Cox model including INF and LAS grouped in tertiles, and comparing tertiles 2 and 3 with tertile 1, showed waiting list mortality hazard ratios of 1.62 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.78-3.36; P = 0.19) and 2.65 (95% CI, 1.35-5.20; P = 0.005) for INF, and 1.42 (95% CI, 0.63-3.24; P = 0.40), and 2.32 (95% CI, 1.17-4.60; P = 0.016) for LAS, respectively. These results indicated that INF and LAS had significant, independent predictive value for survival. CONCLUSIONS: CT score INF correlates with survival, and adds to the predictive value of LAS.
Assuntos
Fibrose Cística/diagnóstico por imagem , Transplante de Pulmão , Tomografia Computadorizada por Raios X , Listas de Espera/mortalidade , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos de Coortes , Fibrose Cística/mortalidade , Fibrose Cística/cirurgia , Técnicas de Apoio para a Decisão , Feminino , Humanos , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise Multivariada , Prognóstico , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Adulto JovemRESUMO
We screened 1,200 living heart, lung, liver, and kidney transplant recipients for hepatitis E virus infection by reverse transcription PCR. In 12 (1%) patients, hepatitis E virus infection was identified; in 11 patients, chronic infection developed. This immunocompromised population is at risk for hepatitis E virus infection.