title: Evaluation of Short-Term Outcome after Lung Transplantation in the Lung Allocation Score Era.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In December 2011, the Eurotransplant Foundation (Leiden, The Netherlands) changed the allocation system for donor lungs from a model based on urgency and waiting time to the lung allocation score (LAS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of the LAS implementation on the early outcome after lung transplantation in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  We therefore retrospectively studied the outcome of the last 50 patients transplanted before and the first 50 patients transplanted after LAS implementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patient groups were comparable in baseline characteristics at the time of transplantation. Postoperative hospital stays were comparable between the groups, that is, 40.3 ± 26.8 and 40.3 ± 31.3 days (p = 0.992). Also, survival rates on intensive care, during entire hospital stay, at 90 days, 6 month, and 1 year after transplant were comparable between the groups. The retrospectively calculated LASs of the patients transplanted under the old allocation system were not statistically significantly different from those after LAS implementation, that is, 46.5 ± 14.2 and 51.2 ± 17.4 (p = 0.139).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrate, for the first time, that implementation of the LAS in Germany had no negative effect on the early outcome after lung transplantation. Our data indicate that patients transplanted before implementation of the LAS had a similar prospective transplant benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Nikolaus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kneidinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holzborn
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Czerner
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weig
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Behr
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Hauke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Winter
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine V, Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Member of the German Center for Lung Research, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neurohr
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schramm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D011050:Policy Making; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists