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Introduction: After lung transplantation (LTx), infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria are frequent and difficult to treat. Some new antibiotics seem to be effective in treating these infections., Material and Methods: We describe our experience in treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae MDR and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MDR infections with ceftazidime-avibactam (CEF-AVI) and ceftazidime-tazobactam (CEFT-TAZ) in patients who underwent LTx., Results: In 3 patients who underwent double LTx and in 4 patients who underwent single LTx, strains of K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa were isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage. All patients showed worsening of respiratory functions, increasing in inflammation indexes, and, in some cases, onset of pulmonary consolidation. P. aeruginosa was treated with CEFT-TAZ for 10 days average (7-15 days) and K. pneumoniae with CEF-AVI for 14 days average (4-24 days). One patient developed a septic state caused by K. pneumoniae, requiring 24 days of therapy. None had shown side effects caused by drugs administration. One patient died after 15 days from lung transplant owing to primary graft dysfunction., Conclusions: CEF-AVI and CEFT-TAZ seems to be effective in treatment of infections caused by MDR bacteria after lung transplant., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Malignant diseases are well-known complications after lung transplantation (LT). Among these, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare neoplasm with a not well-known and often aggressive biological behavior., Material and Methods: We hereby describe 2 cases of cystic fibrosis patients who underwent bilateral sequential LT (BSLT) complicated by IMT., Results: A 26-year-old man presented a right endobronchial lesion 6 months after BSLT. Two consecutive fiber bronchoscopic biopsies showed granulation tissue. For the persistent lesion growth, the patient underwent a transthoracic biopsy showing histologic diagnosis of IMT. Therefore, he underwent to right pneumonectomy that was unfortunately complicated after 6 months with a late bronchopleural fistula and empyema with exitus 6 months later. A 31-year-old woman 1 year after BSLT presented with a left voluminous pleural-parenchymal lesion; the histologic examination after biopsy revealed an IMT. She underwent a removal of the lesion with a macroscopic R0 resection. Histologic, immunophenotypic, and cytogenetic examinations showed a strong overexpression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase requiring biological adjuvant therapies; however, the patient refused it. Four years later, she presented a recurrence treated with debulking procedure and adjuvant radiotherapy. At last follow-up, the patient was alive with stable disease and optimal graft function., Conclusions: Although IMT is a rare complication after lung transplant, to obtain a careful diagnosis, an early and aggressive treatment is mandatory., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lung transplantation (LT) is a viable option for a select group of patients with end-stage lung disease. However, infections are a major complication after LT, accounting for significant morbidity and mortality. Several germs may be responsible; multidrug-resistant Gram-negative (MDR-GN) bacteria are emerging. Colistin is widely used in the treatment of these infections and is administered by inhalation and/or parenterally. At our institution, in patients with tracheostomy, colistin is administered by direct instillation in the airway during bronchoscopy. We reviewed a series of patients who underwent LT complicated by postoperative MDR-GN bacterial pulmonary infection., Methods: From January 2015 to May 2017, 26 lung transplants were performed. In the postoperative course, 14 (54%) developed MDR-GN bacterial infection; respiratory specimen culture, blood tests, and chest X-ray were considered. Colistin was the only antibiotic usable. Thirteen patients received intravenous (IV) colistin; in the subgroup of patients with tracheostomy, colistin was instilled directly in the airway, and 6 patients received inhaled colistin., Results: Seven patients needed tracheostomy. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the predominant infection (86%), with Acinetobacter baumanii seen in 2 cases (14%). An early clinical-laboratory response was observed in 9 patients (64%). White blood cell count and C-reactive protein values improved (P = .02 and P = .001, respectively). A significant reduction in bacterial load was observed on microbiologic bronchoalveolar lavage specimens., Conclusion: Colistin instilled directly in the airway did not show side effects. The combination of IV and inhaled/instilled colistin could be a useful treatment option for MDR-GN infections after LT., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Lung transplantation (LT) is only therapeutic option for patients affected by chronic respiratory failure. Chronic rejection, also known as bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), is still the main cause of death and the most important factor that influences post-transplantation quality of life. Currently available therapies have not been proven to result in significant benefit in the prevention or treatment of BOS. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) seems to reduce the rate of lung function decline in transplant recipients with progressive BOS., Methods: From 1991 until now, 239 LTs were performed at our center. Fifty-four patients (22.5%) developed BOS; 15 of these (27.7%) were treated with ECP. At the beginning of the treatment, all patients showed a mean decline of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ) from baseline values of 45.8% ± 17.2%; 2 patients were in long-term oxygen therapy., Results: Mean follow-up from November 2013 to June 2016 was 11.6 ± 7 months. Twelve patients (80%) showed lung function stabilization with an FEV 1 range after treatment between -6% to +8% from the pre-treatment values. We did not report any adverse effects or increase of infections incidence., Discussion: ECP seems to be an effective and well-tolerated therapeutic option for LT patients with BOS in terms of stabilization of lung function and increased survival., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acute kidney injury and chronic kidney failure are serious complications after lung transplantation. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the primary indicator of renal function. Several equations have been proposed to evaluate the estimated GFR (eGFR). We compared three different equations to determine which has the better correlation with the development of acute and chronic renal failure in lung recipients., Methods: Twenty-two patients with a mean age of 54.4 ± 8.5 years underwent lung transplantation from 2010 to 2015. Thirteen (59%) had pulmonary fibrosis, 7 (32%) emphysema, 1 (4.5%) bronchiectasis, and 1 (4.5%) lymphangioleiomyomatosis. In all patients, eGFR was measured preoperatively using Cockcroft-Gault (CG), Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), and Levey's Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations. In 20 patients (90%) eGFR was calculated at 1, 3, and 6 months., Results: According to CKD-EPI and MDRD, eight patients (36.3%) had preoperative reduction in eGFR, whereas 6 patients (27.2%) had preoperative reduction according to the CG (P = .04). The mean values were higher for the CG (103.2 vs. 102 vs. 94.4). Five patients (22.7%) developed perioperative acute renal failure requesting a dialysis treatment; four of these showed a preoperative eGFR to the highest CG (P = .05). At 1 and 6 months after lung transplantation, the CG, MDRD and CKD-EPI eGFR values were, respectively, 86.6, 84.1 and 76.6 mL/min/1.73m 2 and 75.8, 72.7, and 72.3 mL/min/1.73m 2 . CKD-EPI eGFR values are more predictable than the other equations of AKI., Conclusions: Preoperative assessment of eGFR using the MDRD and CKD-EPI seems to correlate better than the CG to the prediction of acute renal failure, whereas for the chronic form the three equations seem equivalent., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a γ-herpes virus, responsible for infectious mononucleosis in immunocompetent hosts. Cellular immunity appears rapidly during EBV primary infection, keeping it silent despite long-life persistence in B lymphocytes. Defects of the EBV-specific cellular immunity are supposed to be the basis of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders, promoted by high levels of immunosuppression. We retrospectively reviewed 197 solid organ transplant recipients to investigate EBV-specific lymphocyte responsiveness using Enzyme-linked ImmunoSpot assay (EliSpot), which assesses the EBV-specific interferon (IFN)-γ producing peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and kinetics of EBV infection/reactivation post-transplantation using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on whole blood. Overall, 102 of the 197 patients (51.8%) showed EBV responsiveness at the EBV-EliSpot assay: 68 (66.6%) showed a persistently positive EBV response in 3 or more determinations and 34 (33.3%) had transient episodes of nonresponsiveness. Ninety-five (48.2%) patients were persistently EBV nonresponders. EBV-DNAemia data were available for 58 patients: 27.6% presented at least one episode of EBV-DNA occurrence. No differences were found in EBV-EliSpot response stratification between the groups of patients who experienced episodes of EBV reactivation and those without EBV-DNAemia. However, EBV DNAemia peak values tended to be higher in the first year post-transplantation in the group of patients with a persistent positive EBV-specific immune response. EBV viral load quantitation in blood and EliSpot EBV-specific immune response determination may represent a powerful tool for monitoring solid organ transplant recipients, guiding immunosuppression modulation in patients with active EBV replication., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Lung transplantation (OLT) is a viable option for end-stage pulmonary diseases in selected patients with satisfactory long-term results. However, the paucity of available donors engenders a prolonged stay on the waiting list with progressive decline of lung function. In cases of sudden respiratory failure, admission to an intensive care unit with institution of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be an option while a waiting an emergency OLT. In 12 OLT candidates we started ECMO because of acute decline of lung function. Eleven patients had cystic fibrosis and the other subject, histiocytosis X. In 7 patients bilateral OLT was performed after a mean waiting time of 6 days from ECMO institution; 5 patients died on ECMO at a mean time of 11.6 days. After OLT 2 patients required reoperation for hemothorax; renal failure and acute leg ischemia occurred in 2 patients. The mean weaning time from ECMO after OLT was 2.14 days. No patient died in the perioperative period and 1-year survival was 85.7%. ECMO represents a valid option as a bridge to urgent OLT for selected candidates., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)