The Association Between Patient-Level Factors and Physical Function in Lung Transplant Recipients.
Maryam Alemairi, Andrea Hergenroeder, Dianxu Ren and 1 others
PMID 39830998WHAT IT FOUND
In lung transplant recipients, older age and clinically significant psychological distress were linked to fewer sit-to-stand repetitions, while more time since transplant was linked to better performance.
These factors may help target mobility assessment and rehab.
Key findings
01Every 10-year increase in age was associated with an average decrease of 1 sit-to-stand repetition.
02Each year since transplant was associated with an average increase of 2.5 sit-to-stand repetitions.
03Participants with any significant psychological distress had an average sit-to-stand score 2.300 units lower than participants without any significant psychological distress.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The findings come from a single transplant center, so they may not apply to other lung transplant populations. The study used baseline data only and is cross-sectional, so it cannot show that any factor caused poorer physical function. Participants were enrolled at different times after transplant, and some patient-level factors can change over time. Some measures relied on self-report, so recall bias is possible. Physical function was assessed with only the 30-second sit-to-stand test. The six-minute walk test was not collected on-site because of pandemic restrictions. The analysis included only participants who met eligibility criteria and completed the sit-to-stand test at baseline. Participants had to have a smart Bluetooth device and home internet, and could not be more than 18 months since hospital discharge, which narrows the sample.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these results as proof that age, distress, or time since transplant cause better or worse physical function. The study was cross-sectional and used baseline data only, so it can show association but not causation.