Skip to main content
Open Forum Infectious Diseases logoLink to Open Forum Infectious Diseases
. 2022 Dec 15;9(Suppl 2):ofac492.043. doi: 10.1093/ofid/ofac492.043

782. Infectious Complications of Lung Transplant for COVID-Associated Lung Injury (CALI)

Rebecca Osborn 1, Michael G Ison 2, Maha M Alamri 3,1
PMCID: PMC9752895

Abstract

Background

More than 200 orthotopic lung transplants (OLT) have been performed in the United States for patients (pts) with severe CALI. While some outcomes have been reported to generally be good, we conducted this study to describe the infectious outcomes.

Methods

After IRB approval, a retrospective case review was conducted of pts at Northwestern Memorial Hospital who had undergone OLT for CALI between June 1, 2020 and January 31, 2022. Data was collected from our Enterprise Data Warehouse and primary chart review to describe pts demographics and epidemiology of infectious complications.

Results

35 OLTs were included (33 bilateral, 2 single lung; see Table 1). In the two weeks prior to transplant, 65.7% of pts were treated for bacterial, fungal, or mycobacterial infections (Table 2). Post-transplant, 32 (91.4%) of OLTs developed infections (Table 2), with most (28, 80%) developing pneumonia within 30 days of transplant. Five (14.3%) pts had airway complications, 7 (20%) pts required hemodialysis, and 3 (8.6%) pts died within one year of follow-up.

Table.

Table

Patient Demographics.

Table.

Table

Infectious Complications Post-OLT for CALI.

Conclusion

Infections remain a significant cause of morbidity post-OLT for CALI. Enhanced immunosuppression, long ICU stays post-tx, high rates of primary graft dysfunction and deconditioning likely contributed to this high rate of infection. A matched control group is being collected to compare these outcomes to other OLT pts.

Disclosures

Michael G. Ison, MD MS, GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant|GlaxoSmithKline: Grant/Research Support.


Articles from Open Forum Infectious Diseases are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES