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Anti-fibrotic therapy and lung transplant outcomes in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Anti-fibrotic therapy and lung transplant outcomes in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Todd L Astor, Hilary J Goldberg, Laurie D Snyder, Andrew Courtwright, Ramsey Hachem, Tahuanty Pena, Lorenzo Zaffiri, Gerard J Criner, Marie M Budev, Tany Thaniyavarn, …
Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease, Vol.17, pp.1-10
01/2023
DOI: 10.1177/17534666231165912
PMCID: PMC10126649
PMID: 37073794
url
https://doi.org/10.1177/17534666231165912View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

It is unclear whether continuing anti-fibrotic therapy until the time of lung transplant increases the risk of complications in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. To investigate whether the time between discontinuation of anti-fibrotic therapy and lung transplant in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis affects the risk of complications. We assessed intra-operative and post-transplant complications among patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who underwent lung transplant and had been treated with nintedanib or pirfenidone continuously for ⩾ 90 days at listing. Patients were grouped according to whether they had a shorter (⩽ 5 medication half-lives) or longer (> 5 medication half-lives) time between discontinuation of anti-fibrotic medication and transplant. Five half-lives corresponded to 2 days for nintedanib and 1 day for pirfenidone. Among patients taking nintedanib (  = 107) or pirfenidone (  = 190), 211 (71.0%) had discontinued anti-fibrotic therapy ⩽ 5 medication half-lives before transplant. Anastomotic and sternal dehiscence occurred only in this group (anastomotic: 11 patients [5.2%],  = 0.031 vs patients with longer time between discontinuation of anti-fibrotic medication and transplant; sternal: 12 patients [5.7%],  = 0.024). No differences were observed in surgical wound dehiscence, length of hospital stay, or survival to discharge between groups with a shorter versus longer time between discontinuation of anti-fibrotic therapy and transplant. Anastomotic and sternal dehiscence only occurred in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis who discontinued anti-fibrotic therapy < 5 medication half-lives before transplant. The frequency of other intra-operative and post-transplant complications did not appear to differ depending on when anti-fibrotic therapy was discontinued. clinicaltrials.gov NCT04316780: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04316780.
Fibrosis Humans Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - diagnosis Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - drug therapy Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - surgery Lung Transplantation - adverse effects Treatment Outcome

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