SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2005

11/18/05

Lung transplantation for severe asthma

Summary
Background - Lung transplantation (LT) has reportedly been considered as an option when severe asthma cannot be controlled by reasonable therapy. However, apparently only 2 cases of successful LT for asthma have been reported at the time this article was written.

Findings - Wirtz et al of the Univ of Leipzig in Germany described LT in a 42 year old woman with severe asthma not controlled on high dose oral steroids and adjuvant immunosuppressive therapy. At 12 months after bilateral LT her lung function parameters were normal with no acute asthma exacerbations.

Reference
J Heart Lung Transplant 2005;24:1700-03

Editor's Comments
I have discussed the status of LT for asthma with the Medical Director of the LT program in my institution. He concurred that LT in asthmatics is very unusual because even severe asthma can generally be controlled to the point of a reasonable quality of life. Also, one must consider the current median survival of about 5 years in those who have undergone LT. Yet, probably every large LT center probably has one or two severe asthmatics who received LT.

 

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