What the study found
Donor ventilation time did not show a discernible effect on recipient lung function 1 year after lung transplantation in this study. The comparison was between donors ventilated for less than 5 days and those ventilated for more than 5 days.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest that lung transplant donors should not be dismissed quickly just because of ventilation time. They also note that donor ventilation time may matter differently in other allocation systems, where donor selection is less tightly curated.
What the researchers tested
Fioretti et al. compared lung transplant donors ventilated for less than 5 days with those ventilated for more than 5 days. The study included 588 patients, and the main outcome was lung function measured by spirometry, a test that measures how well the lungs move air.
What worked and what didn't
The study did not find any discernible effect on either absolute or predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second at 1 year after transplant. The article says this is the most robust study to date on donor ventilation and recipient lung function, and it is consistent with prior findings on donor ventilation time and overall survival.
What to keep in mind
The abstract notes that registry and single-center studies are limited by survivorship bias, meaning they only include donors who made it to organ offer acceptance. The authors also caution that findings from Alberta, Canada, may not fully apply to more complex systems in Europe or the United States, where allocation rules and donor selection conditions differ.
Key points
- Donor ventilation time was not linked to a discernible difference in 1-year recipient lung function.
- The study compared donors ventilated for under 5 days with those ventilated for over 5 days.
- The cohort included 588 patients and used spirometry to measure lung function.
- No discernible effect was found for absolute or predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second at 1 year.
- The authors note survivorship bias and possible limits on applying the findings to other allocation systems.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Donor ventilation time was not linked to 1-year lung function
- Authors:
- David C. Neujahr
- Institutions:
- Emory Healthcare, Emory University
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-08
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.