Daijiworld Media Network – Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Sep 18: Liver transplant recipients may have poorer lung function and experience more breathlessness than people from the general population, according to a nationwide Danish study.
Researchers compared 512 adult liver transplant recipients with 2,010 age- and sex-matched participants from a general population cohort. The participants underwent spirometry to assess lung function, including forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), airflow limitation and preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm).
Airflow limitation was identified in 10.7 per cent of liver transplant recipients, compared with 7.1 per cent of the control group. PRISm was also about twice as common among transplant recipients, affecting 23.8 per cent compared with 11.8 per cent of controls.
After adjustments for age, sex, ethnicity, cumulative smoking exposure and educational status, liver transplant recipients had more than twice the odds of airflow limitation, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.06. The association was stronger for PRISm, with recipients having nearly three times the adjusted odds of the condition.
The researchers also found that recipients had an average FEV1 that was 363 ml lower and an FVC that was 549 ml lower than those in the comparison group.
Liver transplant recipients reported more frequent and severe breathlessness than matched participants. Among transplant recipients, those with a history of pulmonary infection had increased odds of airflow limitation, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.23.
The observational study does not establish the reasons for the differences in lung function. However, the findings across lung-function measurements and reported symptoms suggest that chronic pulmonary abnormalities may be an underrecognised health concern among liver transplant recipients.
The researchers said recognising breathlessness and impaired lung function could help clinicians identify transplant recipients who may require further pulmonary evaluation.