Beyond Survival: Early Perceived Quality of Life Outcomes After Lung Transplantation

Lung transplantation (LT) is a consolidated therapeutic option for patients with advanced lung disease. While its impact on survival is well documented, fewer studies have focused on its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

To evaluate improvements in HRQoL at 3 and 6 months in patients undergoing LT.

This retrospective study included patients undergoing LT between March and September 2024 at Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba. HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire and the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS, 0-100), administered before transplantation (T0), at 3 months (T3), and at 6 months (T6). Analyses used repeated measures ANOVA and Wilcoxon tests.

Forty patients were included (65% male; 50% ≥60 years). Interstitial lung disease (ILD) (50.0%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (37.5%) were the leading indications. Most recipients (92.5%) received bilateral LT. Mean EQ-VAS scores improved from 53.9 ± 15.7 (T0) to 73.1 ± 17.0 (T3) and 73.5 ± 21.1 (T6) (p = .025). Significant improvements were observed in mobility (p = .026), usual activities (p = .003), and anxiety/depression (p = .033). Self-care (p = .166) and pain/discomfort (p = .282) showed nonsignificant trends.

LT leads to early and sustained improvements in HRQoL, particularly in autonomy, mobility, and emotional domains, reinforcing its value beyond survival outcomes.