title: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation: medical treatment.
abstract: Obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) or the clinical correlate bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the main cause of late morbidity and mortality after heart-lung and lung transplantation. Although several risk factors for the development of OB/BOS have already been identified, very effective preventive therapy remains Utopian, although there has been much improvement in recent years. This paper attempts to summarize current experience in the medical treatment of OB/BOS, either by tackling the known risk factors for the development of OB/BOS or by changing the immunosuppressive drug regimen for treating established OB/BOS. The current treatment options, however, are rather anecdotal and mostly single-centre experiences. Therefore, multicentre studies are definitely needed to try to identify the most appropriate drug regimen either to prevent and to treat obliterative bronchiolitis/bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Verleden
mesh_terms: D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid; D016559:Tacrolimus