Increased Post-Operative Ventilation Time in Lung Transplant Recipients with Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction

Purpose Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction has been shown to be associated with increased morbidity in bilateral lung transplant recipients with pulmonary artery hypertension. It has also been associated with an increased incidence of primary graft dysfunction. This paper sought to determine if left ventricular diastolic dysfunction prior to transplant should be considered a risk factor for worse long-term prognosis in lung transplant recipients. Methods This study retrospectively reviews the medical records of 240 lung transplant patients at a single center from 2014 to 2018. Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction was diagnosed by echocardiogram taken prior to transplant. Outcomes included total length of hospital stay, time spent on ventilator post operatively, and patient survival. Results There were 92 patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction prior to transplant (38%). Patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction had a higher median age (p Conclusion In this cohort, lung transplant recipients who had left ventricular diastolic dysfunction were more likely to be older and have a higher body mass index compared to those who did not. Additionally, they spent more time on the ventilator compared to patients with normal left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Patient survival was similar between the two groups. These results suggest that left ventricular diastolic dysfunction may be associated with a more difficult initial hospital course but do not suggest a worse long-term prognosis in lung transplant recipients.