Bilateral lung transplantation for severe persistent and difficult asthma.

Although asthma is listed as an indication for lung transplantation, only 2 cases have been reported to date. Here, we describe a 42-year-old woman with progressive, severe, persistent bronchial asthma resistant to high-dose oral steroids and adjuvant immunosuppressive therapy. Because conventional and experimental therapeutic strategies failed, the patient was listed for bilateral lung transplantation and received a transplant shortly thereafter. At 12 months after transplantation, her lung function parameters are normal and an asthma attack has not occurred since.