Right but not left ventricular function recovers early after living-donor lobar lung transplantation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate right and left ventricular functions in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension after living-donor lobar lung transplantation compared with those without hypertension.MethodsThirty-three recipients of living-donor lobar lung transplantation were divided into two groups: those with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH group; n = 12) and those without (non-PAH group; n = 21). Their systolic pulmonary artery pressure was 93.1 ± 6.7 mm Hg versus 31.4 ± 2.9 mm Hg, respectively. Right and left ventricular ejection fractions, systolic pulmonary artery pressure, and cardiac index were serially measured by radionuclide ventriculography and right heart catheterization, respectively.ResultsPretransplant right and left ventricular ejection fractions were lower in the PAH group (29.8% ± 7.0%, 49.9% ± 6.6%) than in the non-PAH group (49.7% ± 3.3%, 65.2% ± 1.9%) (P = .010, .068). Two months after living-donor lobar lung transplantation, right ventricular ejection fraction and systolic pulmonary artery pressure in the PAH group (57.3% ± 5.1%, 25.7 ± 1.8 mm Hg) improved dramatically, equal to those in the non-PAH group. In contrast, left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac index in the PAH group (50.9% ± 3.7%, 2.66 ± 0.12 L · min−1 · m−2) were still significantly lower than in the non-PAH group (65.4% ± 2.8%, 3.13 ± 0.15 L · min−1 · m−2) (P = .0038, .037). At 6 to 12 months, the PAH group demonstrated a significant rise in left ventricular ejection fraction and cardiac index that reached similar values in the non-PAH group measured at 2 months. These values were stable for up to 3 years.ConclusionsRight ventricular function recovered early after living-donor lobar lung transplantation in the PAH group. In contrast, recovery of left ventricular function required 6 to 12 months. Improved cardiac function was sustained for up to 3 years, suggesting long-term durability of cardiac function recovery after living-donor lobar lung transplantation.