Follow-up schedule after lung transplantation

In the first year after the lung transplantation, clinical examination, lung function test and surveillance bronchoscopies with bronchoalveolar lavage and lung biopsies are scheduled for 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 months. From the second postoperative year on, patients are seen every 3 months for clinical examination, lab and lung function testing (Supplemental Fig. 2). In case of conspicuous results, such as infection or an otherwise not explainable decline in lung function, further testing/imaging/bronchoscopy to rule out/confirm CLAD is performed. If clinical symptoms for TE are present, further testing as described under the “definitions” section is initiated.

Immunosuppression medication levels as well as blood and kidney parameters were initially checked weekly after discharge and once stable, the interval was extended to every 4 weeks (Table ​(Table11).

Basic demographic patient characteristics

Basic patient characteristics before LTX

COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, LAM Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, GvHD Graft-versus-host disease, ECMO extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, BMI body mass index, LTX lung transplantation