Expanding the donor pool: lung transplantation with donors 55 years and older

The scarcity of donor organs is one of the major limitations to lung transplantation. This has led to a progressive expansion of criteria for donor selection in lung transplantation. This study evaluated the outcome of recipients of lungs from donors >/=55 years. We performed a retrospective analysis of 212 consecutive lung transplantations. Recipients were divided into two groups, those receiving lungs from donors >/=55 years (older donor group) and those receiving lungs from donors <55 years (younger donor group). Recipient baseline characteristics, time in the intensive care unit (ICU), early mortality, and long-term survival (Kaplan-Meier) were compared between the groups. Forty-one donors (19%) were >/=55 years. Mean recipient age in the older donor group was higher than in the younger donor group (52 +/- 8 vs. 47 +/- 12 years; P = .015). Indication for transplantation did not differ between the groups. ICU stay was comparable between the two groups (6 +/- 12 vs. 7 +/- 11 days; P = .64). Actual 30-day mortality (10.8% vs. 6.4%; P = .32), 1-year mortality (17.1 vs. 19.6%; P = .50), and cumulative long-term survival (65% and 62% at 5 years, P = 1.00) did not differ between the older and younger donor group. This study indicated that transplantation of lungs from selected donors aged >/=55 years did not impair short-or long-term results. The use of lungs from elderly donors may help to increase the number of donor organs for lung transplantation.