Background: Despite resistant microbes, induction immunosuppression is used in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) undergoing lung transplantation (LTx).
Methods: To evaluate the effect of induction immunosuppression on survival, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) was queried restricting analysis to transplant patients 6-55years old from 2001 to 2012, who received induction agents (INDUCED) or did not (NONE).
Results: A total of 1721 CF patients who underwent LTx were included in the analysis; of these 791 (46%) were INDUCED. Of the INDUCED patients, 65% received basiliximab, 10% alemtuzumab, and 25% thymoglobulin/anti-lymphocyte globulin/anti-thymocyte globulin. Mean age was 28.0years (SD=9.7) and 28.5 (SD=9.5) for the INDUCED and NONE groups, respectively. The median survival in the INDUCED group was 93.8months (95% CI: 73.8, --) compared to 61.8months (95% CI: 55.8-73.8) for the NONE group (log rank p-value <0.001).
Conclusions: Antibody-based induction immunosuppression had a survival benefit in CF patients undergoing LTx.
Keywords: Cystic fibrosis; Immunosuppression; Induction; Lung transplantation; Survival.
Copyright © 2014 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.