The Effectiveness of Culture-Directed Preemptive Anti-Aspergillus Treatment in Lung Transplant Recipients at One Year After Transplant

Abstract

Our data suggest that almost half the cases of IPA occurred in patients without pretransplantation or posttransplantation airway colonization with Aspergillus spp. Among patients with Aspergillus colonization, use of rabbit antithymocyte globulin was associated with 4-fold risk of subsequent development of IPA. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis was an independent risk factor for 1-year mortality. Use of preemptive antifungal treatment for 3 months may be associated with significant reduction of IPA without influencing mortality.