Medical and psychologic outcome of living lobar lung transplant donors.
BACKGROUND
Living donor lobar lung transplantation is a viable therapy for carefully selected patients with end-stage pulmonary disease. Its success is largely dependent upon donor outcome, including both physical and emotional factors. To date, there has been little focus on psychosocial outcomes of lobar lung donors.


METHODS
Retrospective evaluation of 15 of 20 living lobar lung transplant donors was performed. Donors underwent evaluation of pulmonary function after recovery from donor lobectomy. Participants completed two self-report questionnaires, the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), as well as an open-ended psychiatric interview.


RESULTS
After lobar donation, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) decreased by 21 +/- 2%, forced vital capacity (FVC) decreased by 16 +/- 3%, total lung capacity (TLC) decreased by 15 +/- 3%, and single-breath diffusing capacity (DLCO) decreased by 14 +/- 4%. All subjects scored higher than the national average on both the physical and mental health components of the SF-36. The BDI scores showed no evidence of clinical depression. However, the subjective interviews elicited two common complaints: (1) a decline in exercise performance, not accounted for by resting lung function measurements; and (2) a dissatisfaction with the degree of acknowledgment of their donation.


CONCLUSIONS
Living lobar lung transplant donors enjoy generally satisfactory physical and emotional health. Donors report positive feelings about donation, but wish to be recognized and valued by the transplant team and by the recipient. Despite preservation of lung function within the normal range, some donors also experience a subjective decline in exercise tolerance. Long-term medical and psychologic follow-up appears warranted to monitor symptoms of exercise impairment and to enhance the donor experience.
Prager
Laura M
LM
Lung Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Wain
John C
JC
Roberts
David H
DH
Ginns
Leo C
LC
D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019520:Living Donors / Q000523:psychology*; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008603:Mental Health; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010807:Physical Endurance; D011653:Pulmonary Diffusing Capacity; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000009:adverse effects; D014109:Total Lung Capacity; D014797:Vital Capacity