Changes in induced sputum in the presence of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome and correlation with spirometry in single and bilateral lung transplant recipients

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is a clinical diagnosis based on lung function parameters. Using induced sputum, taken from lung transplant recipients, this paper reports on the correlation between the neutrophil count and the percentage change from postoperative baseline for FEV1, FEF50, and FEF25-75. In double lung transplant recipients the correlations were significant for FEV1 (r = -0.68,p = 0.002), FEF50 (r = -0.65,p = 0.016), and FEF25-75 (r = -0.56, p = 0.016). In single lung transplant recipients, no significant correlations were seen. Copyright (C) 2005 by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation.