Lung transplantation is increasingly common among patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis

The prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) in U.S. coal miners has increased, and severe presentations are increasingly common.

We describe trends in lung transplantation during 1996-2014 for recipients with a primary diagnosis of CWP or pneumoconiosis unspecified, and we summarize recipient characteristics and estimate survival.

A total of 47 transplants were included; nearly three-quarters were performed during 2008-2014. All recipients were male, 96% were white, and the mean age was 56 years. Mean FEV1 % was 35%; mean FVC% was 53%. Mean time on a waitlist was 155 days, and 60% of transplants were bilateral. Median survival was 3.7 years.

These transplants reflect the use of a scarce resource for an entirely preventable disease, and highlight the need for enhanced efforts to reduce coal mine dust exposures.