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Return to work after lung transplantation
1Integris Oklahoma Transplantation Institute, Oklahoma City 73112-4481, USA.
Summary
Return-to-work (RTW) rates after lung transplantation are 37% for medically able individuals, comparable to other organ transplants. Pre-transplant employment and functional improvements significantly influence RTW, though social factors remain barriers.
Area of Science:
- Medical Rehabilitation
- Transplant Surgery Outcomes
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Social rehabilitation is crucial for lung transplant recipients as outcomes improve.
- Limited data exists on return-to-work (RTW) rates post-lung transplantation compared to other organ transplants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors influencing RTW after lung transplantation.
- To establish baseline RTW rates for lung transplant recipients.
Main Methods:
- Survey of 99 lung transplant recipients across two international centers.
- Stepwise discriminant analysis to identify influencing factors on RTW.
- Analysis of employment status, medical ability to work, and functional metrics.
Main Results:
- Overall RTW rate for medically able recipients was 37% (22/60).
- Pre-transplant employment, specific diagnoses (emphysema, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension), self-reported ability to work, improved lung function (percent predicted FVC), and 6-minute walk distance > 550m positively influenced RTW.
- Employment type (new vs. previous) differed between Canadian and US recipients.
Conclusions:
- The 37% employment rate is comparable to other organ transplant recipients.
- Lung transplant procedure type (single vs. bilateral) did not impact employment.
- Social factors continue to present barriers to employment for some lung transplant recipients.