title: Munich lung transplant group: waiting list during the first 9 months of the lung allocation score era.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Eurotransplant Foundation introduced the lung allocation score (LAS) in Germany on December 10, 2011. We analyzed characteristics of the Munich Lung Transplant Group (MLTG) waiting list during the first 9 months after the introduction of the LAS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A mean number of 39 ± 1 patients were constantly listed for lung transplantation and 60 transplants were performed by the MLTG during the observation period. While the majority (42 ± 0%) of patients waiting for transplant comprised chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/emphysema patients, only 26% of transplanted patients suffered from COPD/emphysema. Instead, the majority (42%) of transplanted patients suffered from interstitial lung disease. Waiting times did not markedly change in the LAS era. Notably, patients with interstitial lung disease had shorter waiting times when compared with patients suffering from COPD/emphysema and cystic fibrosis, both on the waiting list and at the time of transplant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MLTG lung transplant waiting list has not markedly changed during the first 9 months after the introduction of the LAS. Our data indicate that the LAS accommodates disease-specific patient statuses well. Although patients with interstitial lung disease are preferably transplanted, the LAS system provides a very reasonable basis to also list and transplant COPD/emphysema patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine V, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kneidinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: Transplant Center Munich, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Alma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sisic
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerhardt
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Preissler
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine V, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neurohr
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Czerner
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weig
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dolch
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Uberfuhr
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schramm
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014850:Waiting Lists