Spirometry telemonitoring in lung transplant patients

<bold>Introduction:</bold> The most common complication after Lung transplantation (LTx) is chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), which affects long-term outcomes. CLAD may be partially reversible, especially after early detection of the cause. For this reason, systematic monitoring of transplanted lung function, including spirometry values and a telemedical approach, is recommended. We evaluated the feasibility and clinical usefulness of spirometry telemonitoring in LTx patients. <bold>Methods:</bold> We retrospectively compared three groups of LTx recipients from the Silesian Heart Disease Center (Zabrze, Poland). The first was subjected to home spirometry telemonitoring (N=21), the second group was monitored with home spirometry (N=23), and the control group underwent routine follow-ups only in the transplant centre (N=32). Spirometry values, adherence, correctness and number of visits were evaluated. <bold>Results:</bold> Twenty-one lung transplant patients (9 women, 53.0 y.o, BMI 21.4) were studied over an average of 252.2 days, showing 62.7% adherence to daily spirometry, with 225 tests per patient. Spirometry accuracy was 59.7% for FEV1 and 58.9% for FVC. Adherence was stable for six months, then dropped, with correctness improving over time. FEV1/FVC ratios decreased over time, while FVC improved significantly. Emergency visits were fewer in telemonitoring (1.24) vs routine care (2.34, p=0.049). Visit duration was shorter in telemonitoring (5.8 days, p=0.0033) compared to routine care (10 days) and standard spirometry (8.7 days, p=0.034). <bold>Conclusions:</bold> Spirometry telemonitoring for lung transplant patients is effective, ensuring high test accuracy and compliance. It leads to fewer, shorter hospital visits versus standard monitoring or routine follow-ups.