Lung Function Monitoring in Allogenic Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (A-HCT) Patients

Background Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is an obstructive airway disease of the lungs that affects 5.5 to 14.8% of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) patients. One of its defining clinical manifestations is a decline in Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) in the presence of airflow obstruction, as quantified by spirometry and other lung function tests. Prompt diagnosis through lung function testing may improve outcomes, but lung function testing rates following allo-HSCT have not been examined. This study analyzed lung function testing rates before and after allo-HSCT in the US. Methods Data sources for this longitudinal retrospective study were the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus commercial database and the Medicare Limited Dataset, both with enrollment, demographic and medical claims data for individuals in the US. Study patients had at least one claim with a Common Procedure Terminology (CPT) or International Classification of Diseases (ICD), 9th and 10th revision, procedure code, or an International Code of Disease (ICD-9 or ICD-10) for allo-HSCT, following a 6-month period with no evidence of transplantation. Commercially insured patients were limited to age 0y to