title: Graft-protective effects of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor pravastatin after lung transplantation--a propensity score analysis with 23 years of follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To determine whether the hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor pravastatin has a graft-protective effect, we retrospectively analyzed 502 patients who had undergone lung transplantation in Hannover.
  
  
  METHODS
  Propensity scores have been calculated for each patient and compared between two groups. Cox Hazard analyses were performed for different parameters (e.g., basic parameters of patients, underlying diagnoses, different operations, and important organ functions after lung transplantation). Lung function after transplantation was monitored using repeated measurement analyses. Additionally, conditional Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to explore the impact of different diagnoses, the severity of bronchiolitis obliterans, the type of transplantation, and different immunosuppressant regimes on patient survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicate a strong association between the postoperative administration of statins and the improvement of survival, maintenance of graft (lung) function, and slowing of the onset of bronchiolitis obliterans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest a new postoperative therapeutic focus for maintaining graft function.
authors.affiliation: Hannover Thoracic Transplant Program, Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. li.yijiang@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Yijiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gottlieb
authors.forename: Donghui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuehn
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strueber
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Welte
authors.forename: André R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Warnecke
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haverich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D017035:Pravastatin