Sławomir Żegleń

A functional assessment of patients two years after lung transplantation in Poland.

The aim of the study The aim of the study was to assess the long-term results of lung transplantation (LT) in Poland two years after the procedure. Material and methods The study included patients who underwent LT between December 2004 and December 2009 in the Silesian Center for Heart Diseases in Zabrze. Various lung functions (forced vital capacity – FVC; forced expiratory volume in 1 second – FEV1), the quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire), the level of perceived dyspnea (Medical Research Council – MRC; basic dyspnea index – BDI), and the patients mobility (the 6-minute walking test – 6MWT) were assessed before and approximately 24 months after LT. Among 35 patients who underwent LT, 20 patients were referred to our study (mean age: 46.6 ± 9.03 years). Results After LT, a statistically significant increase was observed in the distance achieved in the 6MWT (323.8 vs. 505.8 m), FVC (1.64 vs. 2.88 L), and FEV1 (1.37 vs. 2.09 L). An improvement in perceived dyspnea in MRC and BDI questionnaires was observed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) after LT. The assessment of the quality of life, excluding perceived pain, showed the most significant improvement in the physical cumulative score (PCS; 25 vs. 45 points), especially in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusions Lung transplantation in Poland, in patients who live longer than 2 years after the procedure, significantly improves the mobility, lung function, perceived dyspnea, and the quality of life.

Urinary iodine as an iodine deficiency test in lung transplant recipients in order to prevent iodine deficiency disorders.

BACKGROUND In Poland, lung transplantation (LTx) as a routine method began in 2004, and since then, the Silesian Center for Heart Disease in Zabrze 85 LTx has performed (54 single-lung transplantations, 30 double-lung transplantations, and 1 heart-lung) transplantation. The recommendation to take vitamin supplements (without specific indication of the iodine content) does not apply to another iodine prophylaxis in patients after lung transplantation, excluding patients with known thyroid disease. The aim of this study was to assess thyroid gland function based on hormones and urinary iodine (UI) concentration in patients after LTx. MATERIAL AND METHODS UI analysis was performed in 19 lung recipients (12 men and 7 women; mean age: 46.2 ± 12.47 years, BMI: 21 ± 2.25) and compared to TSH, free T3, and free T4. RESULTS Sufficient UI was observed only in 2 (9%) samples. In 12 samples (54.5%), mild iodine deficiency was recorded, in 4 samples (18.2%) moderate iodine deficiency was noted, and in 3 (13.6%) severe iodine deficiency was found. No correlation between BMI and UI, as well as hormones concentration, was observed. No correlation was revealed when analyzed samples were divided by patient sex. CONCLUSIONS Although thyroid gland hormones were in the normal range, we found moderate, mild, and severe iodine deficiency in the majority of analyzed samples. Measurements of urinary iodine in lung transplant recipients should accompany thyroid hormone measurements as an iodine deficiency test and in order to prevent iodine deficiency disorders.