[Oxygen Therapy in Lung Transplantation Candidates - A Single Center Retrospective Analysis of 807 Patients]

Long-term oxygen treatment (LTOT) is frequently used in patients with advanced pulmonary diseases and respiratory failure. Oxygen treatment influences donor lung allocation for patients and is associated with increased mortality. This study investigates oxygen therapy in lung transplantation candidates.

A retrospective study at a large German transplantation centre between 09/2011 and 01/2019 was performed. Data regarding oxygen therapy was analyzed and LTOT-indication verified by titrated blood gas analysis. The study period splits into 2 periods before and after the introduction of oxygen titration (3rd quarter of 2015). Univariate and multivariate analysis for the endpoint "admission to waiting list" was performed.

807 patients were included in the analysis, 396 in the first and 411 patients in the second period. Of those 293 patients (36.3 %) were transplanted. Six hundred thirty (78 %) patients stated using oxygen for more than 12 hours per day. After implementing oxygen titration in period 2, in 212 (57 %) of 372 patients LTOT indication could be confirmed. Titrated oxygen flow was lower in period 2 (0.5 l/min [IQR 0.0 - 2.0] versus 2 l/min [IQR 0.5 - 3.0]). In multivariate analysis oxygen flow was associated with admission to waiting list as an independent variable.

Patients referred to lung transplantation use oxygen therapy in the vast majority. Indication for LTOT should be carefully reassessed in candidates. Confirmed LTOT-indication seems to be associated with the likelihood for admission to the waiting list for lung transplantation and could therefore be a selection criterium in the future.