The purpose of this study is to take a population of lung transplant recipients who meet UCLA criteria for induction chemotherapy with thymoglobulin and prospectively study weather giving the first dose intraoperatively versus postoperatively makes a difference with how patients do during and after lung transplantation. In addition, these cohorts will be compared to patients who do not qualify for thymoglobulin and receive either an alternative agent or no agent. The primary endpoint is primary graft dysfunction. We will also evaluate several other early and late end points such as ventilator days, ICU/hospital days, acute/chronic rejection, infection, CT chest abnormalities, and survival.
We will also collect donor lung tissue and lavage fluid for measurement of various proteins and receptor expression at two time points: (1) prior to implementation and dosing of induction chemotherapy and (2) after transplantation (following a course of induction chemotherapy). This will allow us to possibly make a connection between the profiles of the various proteins and receptors and the clinical outcomes, depending on weather the patient has received induction chemotherapy, starting intraoperatively or postoperatively.
