Cytokine Filtration in Lung Transplantation: A Swedish National Study (GLUSorb)

Lung transplantation (LTx) remains the gold standard for treating patients with irreversible end-stage pulmonary disease. Of the major organs transplanted, survival in LTx recipients remains the lowest (mean 5 years). Despite improvements, primary graft dysfunction (PGD), as defined by respiratory insufficiency and edema up to 72 hours post LTx, remains the leading cause of early mortality and contributes to the development of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) which is the leading cause of late mortality. PGD develops within the first 72 hours after LTx. The development of CLAD increases quickly with cumulative incidence of 40-80 % within the first 3-5 years. There is a general lack of efficient treatments for PGD and CLAD. Prevention of PGD is therefore of crucial importance and has a direct impact on survival. The present study is a randomized controlled study which aims to compare patients undergoing LTx with and without the utilization of cytokine adsorption.