title: The effects of panresistant bacteria in cystic fibrosis patients on lung transplant outcome.
abstract: The number of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients undergoing lung transplant continues to rise as long term survival improves. One major contraindication to this potentially life-saving intervention is infection with multi-drug-resistant bacteria. We undertook this retrospective study in 66 transplanted patients over 6 yr to determine the influence of panresistant bacteria on transplant outcome. The in vitro antibiotic susceptibility pattern of respiratory tract bacteria obtained pre- and/or intraoperatively was used to categorize patients into panresistant (n = 27) (Burkholderia cepacia, n = 6, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, n = 21) or sensitive (n = 39) groups. Postoperative ventilator days, hospital length of stay, and antibiotic days were similar for both groups (p > 0.2). The incidence of bacterial bronchitis (28% and 33%, respectively) and pneumonia (28% and 38%, respectively) did not differ between these groups (p > 0.2) at 6 mo. Likewise, one-year (81% and 83%, respectively) survival was similar for both groups (p > 0.2). As expected, panresistant B. cepacia patients had a lower 1-yr survival (50% versus 90%, p < 0.05) and had a higher mortality attributable to B. cepacia (50% versus 0%, p < 0.01) compared with panresistant P. aeruginosa patients. Our results indicate that CF patients infected with panresistant P. aeruginosa have similar transplant outcomes as patients with sensitive bacteria and should not be excluded from lung transplant based solely on this criterion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology-Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7524, USA.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Aris
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Gilligan
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Neuringer
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Gott
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Yankaskas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D016956:Burkholderia cepacia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000382:microbiology; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies