Coronary Angiography Findings in Lung Transplant Candidates and Their Impact on the Transplant Process: A Retrospective Analysis

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the coronary angiography (CA) findings of patients evaluated as candidates for lung transplantation (LTx) and to assess the impact of these findings on the transplantation process. Methods: The study was conducted on 237 lung transplant candidates who presented to the Lung Transplant Clinic at Koşuyolu Higher Specialization Training and Research Hospital between January 1, 2017, and August 1, 2024, and underwent CA. Data including age, gender, comorbidities (coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc.), cholesterol panel, hemoglobin A1c levels, and CA results were recorded and statistically analyzed. Results: Of the 237 patients included in the study, 24.5% were female and 75.5% were male. The mean age was 48.8±12 years, with an age range of 14–67 years and the average body mass index was 23.72±3.97. CA findings showed that 67% of patients had normal results, while 26.1% exhibited plaque formation. Among these, 9.28% had stenosis of 1–49%, 5.06% had stenosis of 50–69%, and 3.8% had stenosis of 70% or greater. Stents were placed in 4.64% of patients with significant stenosis, leading to a postponement of the transplant process by at least 6 months for 11 patients (4.64%). Medical therapy was initiated in patients without stents, and 10 patients (4.21%) were deemed unsuitable for transplantation. Conclusion: CA is critical for the safety of the LTx process in candidates. As the status of coronary arteries directly affects the perioperative management and post-operative outcomes of patients, comprehensive pre-evaluation of this condition is of great importance, especially in the group with interstitial lung disease.