Telomere length in patients with pulmonary fibrosis associated with chronic lung allograft dysfunction and post-lung transplantation survival.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Prior studies have shown that patients with pulmonary fibrosis with mutations in the telomerase genes have a high rate of certain complications after lung transplantation. However, few studies have investigated clinical outcomes based on leukocyte telomere length. METHODS:We conducted an observational cohort study of all patients with pulmonary fibrosis who underwent lung transplantation at a single center between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2014. Leukocyte telomere length was measured from a blood sample collected before lung transplantation, and subjects were stratified into 2 groups (telomere length <10th percentile vs ?10th percentile). Primary outcome was post-lung transplant survival. Secondary outcomes included incidence of allograft dysfunction, non-pulmonary organ dysfunction, and infection. RESULTS:Approximately 32% of subjects had a telomere length <10th percentile. Telomere length <10th percentile was independently associated with worse survival (hazard ratio 10.9, 95% confidence interval 2.7-44.8, p = 0.001). Telomere length <10th percentile was also independently associated with a shorter time to onset of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (hazard ratio 6.3, 95% confidence interval 2.0-20.0, p = 0.002). Grade 3 primary graft dysfunction occurred more frequently in the <10th percentile group compared with the ?10th percentile group (28% vs 7%; p = 0.034). There was no difference between the 2 groups in incidence of acute cellular rejection, cytopenias, infection, or renal dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS:Telomere length <10th percentile was associated with worse survival and shorter time to onset of chronic lung allograft dysfunction and thus represents a biomarker that may aid in risk stratification of patients with pulmonary fibrosis before lung transplantation.
SUBMITTER: Newton CA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5515686 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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