Paediatric Lung Transplantation for Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease: Indications and Outcome

Hendrik Schneider, Fabio Ius, Carsten Müller, Jawad Salman, Katharina Schütz, Harald Köditz, Katja, Nickel, Gesine Hansen, Dmitry Bobylev, Nicolaus, Schwerk, Julia Carlens
Hannover Medical School.
Germany

Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation
J Heart Lung Transplant 2025;
DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2025.04.001

Abstract
Background: Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) is heterogeneous, associated with significant morbidity and can cause organ failure. In these cases, lung transplantation (LuTx) is a treatment option. Data on indications and outcome after LuTx for chILD is limited. We compared characteristics of LuTx for chILD to the indications cystic fibrosis (CF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH).
Methods: chILD-patients <18 years who underwent LuTx at our center between Jan 1st, 2011 and Sep 30th, 2023, were retrospectively analysed and divided into two groups depending on their age at disease manifestation: Children in the chILD A group predominantly became ill during the first two years of life, chILD B patients thereafter. Outcomes were compared to patients with CF and PH.
Results: 101 children were included (chILD A 12; chILD B 19; CF 49; PH 21). Patients in the chILD A group were younger (mean age 1.5 vs., 12.9, 15.2, 10.9 years) and frequently required mechanical ventilation before LuTx (41.7%, vs. 10.5%, 2%, 9.5%, respectively). Their median ICU stay (23 vs. 4, 2, 13 days) and median hospital stay (48 vs. 27, 30, 42 days) after LuTx was longer. Patients with chILD B had the lowest pre-transplant ICU requirement (21.1% vs. 66.7% for chILD A, 30.6% for CF and 47.6% for PH) and short median hospital stay. Five year survival was comparable in all groups (80.2%, 86.5%, 80.4%, and 81.2%).
Conclusion: LuTx for patients with chILD shows favourable outcome, although younger chILD A patients had a higher pre-transplant morbidity and longer ICU and hospital stay surrounding the transplantation.

Category
Lung Transplantation for Pulmonary Vascular Disease

Age Focus: Pediatric Pulmonary Vascular Disease

Fresh or Filed Publication: Fresh (PHresh). Less than 1-2 years since publication

Article Access
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