PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Sofia Granadeiro
AU  - Alexandra Borba
AU  - Luisa Semedo
AU  - Miguel Araujo
AU  - João Cardoso
AU  - Fernando Martelo
AU  - Jose Fragata
TI  - Characterization of a population referred to a lung transplantation centre in Lisbon
DP  - 2011 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - p2455
VI  - 38
IP  - Suppl 55
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2455.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p2455.full
SO  - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38
AB  - Introduction: Lung transplantation is the therapeutic option for patients with end stage lung disease. An appropriate referral contributes to a better post surgery survival.Purpose: Characterization of the patients referred to the only lung transplantation centre in Portugal.Material and method: The authors evaluated patients referred from January 2008 to December 2010. The following data was determined: demographics, lung disease and evaluation result. Reasons for refusal were also analyzed.Results: A total of 199 patients were referred (61% male), with an medium age of 45,5 years (range 11 to 69). Thirty per cent had the diagnosis of terminal lung fibrosis, 21% COPD, 13% cystic fibrosis, 12% bronchiectasis and the last 23% other diagnosis. After evaluation 24,6% of patients were accepted (49 patients, 25 of which already transplanted and 5 died on waiting list) and 54,3% were refused, most due to severe cardiac impairment or very poor general condition. Of the remaining patients, 9,5% are under current evaluation, 6,5% present a relative contraindication and 5% still don't meet criteria for transplantation.Conclusion: Despite the considerable number of patients referred, only 45,7% were eligible for lung transplant. The important number of patients refused due to medical contraindications should alert the attending physicians for an earlier referral.