The change of lung function in children with bronchiolitis obliterans
syndrome after hematopoietic stem cell transplant
Abstract
Background: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is a
life-threatening respiratory complication of allogeneic hematopoietic
stem cell transplant (HSCT). Even though a lung function test is crucial
in monitoring BOS, little information exists on the test’s association
with prognosis in children with BOS. Objectives: The purpose of this
study was to determine the correlation between changes in lung function
after BOS diagnosis and long term outcomes. Methods: A total of 428
children received allogeneic HSCT from January 2006 to December 2017 at
Asan Medical Center. Twenty-three of those children (5.4%) were
diagnosed with BOS after allogeneic HSCT, and their clinical data were
reviewed. Twenty-one subjects underwent regular pulmonary function tests
for 24 months after the occurrence of BOS. Results: Among the 21
children with BOS, eight died, five underwent a lung transplant (TPL),
and 15 required oxygen (O2) therapy. The FEV1% predicted (pred), FVC%
pred, and FEF25-75% pred were 37.8±12.7% (mean±SD), 62.2±16.2%, and
16.4±9.6%, respectively, upon BOS diagnosis. Changes in the FEV1% pred
were greater in the death and lung TPL group (-24.8±22.3%) than the
survival without lung TPL group (5.7±21.8%), and greater in the O2
therapy (-19.4±23.4%) group than the group without O2 therapy
(14.2±20.0%) during the first three months after BOS diagnosis.
Conclusion: The change of FEV1 during the first three months after BOS
correlated with the prognosis including survival, lung transplantation,
and O2 therapy. These results suggest more active intervention in the
first three months after BOS diagnosis may be needed to improve
prognosis.