Worldwide practices in pulmonary function test reporting after lung transplantation.

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Transplant Surgery
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Spirometry interpretation post-lung transplantation (LTx) is complex.
• Current interpretation relies on general population reference standards, lacking global uniformity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate worldwide reference values and normal thresholds for post-transplant spirometry.
• To identify current practices in spirometry interpretation among lung transplant centers.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation members.
• The survey collected data on reference values, normal thresholds, and reporting practices from 58 transplant centers.

Main Results:

• The Global Lung Initiative (GLI) reference was used by 60% of centers, with 47% using the race-neutral version.
• The lower limit of normal (LLN) was reported in only 19% of assessments.
• Regional variations exist in defining obstruction and grading impairment.

Conclusions:

• Global Lung Initiative (GLI) references are increasingly adopted but not universal.
• Underutilization of the lower limit of normal (LLN) persists in spirometry reporting after lung transplantation.
• Standardization of spirometry interpretation is needed for consistent post-LTx patient management.