Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing Following Allogeneic Lung Transplantation for Different Underlying Disease States

To assess the exercise response to single lung transplantation in chronic airflow obstruction (CAO), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and pulmonary vascular disease (PVD) vs double lung transplantation at well-defined time points after transplantation, and to define the change in exercise response in SLT and DLT over the first year after transplantation. Prospective study. Tertiary referral hospital. Fourteen stable SLT recipients (6 with CAO, 4 with IPF, 4 with PVD) and 11 stable DLT recipients. Spirometry, lung volumes, diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco) and MVV measured prior to exercise at 3 months (n=25) then at 3-month intervals up to a maximum of 12 months posttransplantation (n=18 [12 SLT and 6 DLT]). Symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise tests at same time points (n=25 at 3 months, n=18 [12 SLT and 6 DLT] at 3-month intervals up to 12 months). Breathlessness was estimated by visual analogue scale prior to exercise and at peak exercise. At 3 months, FEV1 percent predicted was lower for SLT-CAO and SLT-IPF vs DLT (p≤0.05). Mean FEV1/FVC was lower for SLT-CAO vs all other groups (p≤0.05). The FVC, MVV, and DLco/VA were similar for all groups. The TLC and RV were higher for the SLT-CAO group compared with all others. The TLC was lower for SLT-PVD compared with DLT. Exercise responses were similar in all groups studied without a statistically significant difference in achieved V¨o2, work rate, O2 pulse, anaerobic threshold, heart rate response, respiratory rate, VE/MVV, and VT/VC. The change in O2 saturation during exercise was the least in recipients of DLT. Maximal achieved V¨o2 rose from 3 to 6 months after SLT but dropped by 9 to 12 months after transplantation. Maximal achieved V¨o2 trended up from 3 to 6 months after DLT but dropped by 9 to 12 months after transplantation. Maximal achieved work rate rose in both SLT and DLT from 3 to 9 to 12 months after transplantation. There was no significant difference in breathlessness at rest and peak exercise measured between recipients of SLT or DLT. Minor differences in pulmonary function and change in O2 saturation occur between recipients of SLT and DLT during the first posttransplant year. These differences are most pronounced when comparing SLT-CAO with DLT. However, there is no significant difference in exercise capacity between SLT for CAO, IPF, PVD, and DLT. The rise in maximum achieved V¨o2 over the first 6 months after transplantation may reflect the effects of exercise tr