Howell CK, et al. – The intention of this survey was to assess early post–transplant outcomes of culture–positive and culture–negative lung transplant (LT) recipients and the appropriateness of the empiric regimens used. No association was found between antibiotic appropriateness and 30–day mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS) or intensive care unit (ICU) LOS in post–LT recipients.

Methods

• Between January 1, 2010 and August 31, 2015, adult patients who received an LT at Emory University Hospital were reviewed and stratified into 3 groups: (i) culture-positive appropriate empiric treatment, (ii) culture-positive inappropriate empiric treatment, and (iii) culture-negative.
• Antibiotics were characterized as appropriate if bacteria were sensitive to the empiric regimen.
• 30-day mortality was the primary endpoint.
• Hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) LOS, percent neutrophil count in a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), presence of airway ischemia, and appropriateness of the empiric antibiotic regimen were the included secondary endpoints.

Results

• Respectively 9, 0, and 4 patients died within 30 days in the culture-positive appropriate (n=113), culture-positive inappropriate (n=5), and culture-negative groups (n=29) (P=.564).
• It was observed in the findings that the median hospital LOS was 19, 16, and 15 days respectively.
• In addition, median ICU LOS was 6, 5, and 7 respectively.
• However, the respective percent neutrophil counts in the BAL fluid were 79, 83, and 65.
• Findings revealed that the presence of airway ischemia was only documented in 8 patients, all in the culture-positive appropriate group.