Implementation of Spirometry Telemonitoring Programme in Lung Transplant Recipients: A Retrospective, Controlled Analysis of Clinical Outcomes

Background: Lung transplantation (LTx) remains the final therapeutic option for patients with end-stage and irreversible respiratory failure. The most common complication after LTx is chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), which affects long-term outcomes. However, CLAD may be partially reversible, especially after early detection of the cause. For this reason, systematic monitoring of transplanted lung function, including spirom-etry values, is so important. In these cases, the usage of modern technologies and tele-medicine can be extremely useful and allow for early response to possible decreases of spirometry values. Objective: The aim of our study is to evaluate the feasibility and clinical usefulness of spirometry telemonitoring in lung transplant patients. Methods: This retrospective study compared lung transplant recipients, where the first group of patients was subjected to spirometry telemonitoring (N=21), the second group was monitored with standard home spirometry (N=23), and the control group underwent routine follow-ups only in the transplant center (N=32). Results: The mean number of emergency visits was found to be lower in the telemoni-toring vs routine care group (1.24 vs 2.34, P=.05). Additionally, the mean duration of all visits was higher in the routine care group (10.0 days) in comparison to the telemonitoring group (5.8 days, P< .001) and to the standard home spirometry group (8.7 days, P=0.03). Conclusions: Spirometry telemonitoring using digital devices is not only feasible in lung transplant recipients, but it may provide substantial clinical benefits in this group of patients. It makes it possible to react faster in the event of abnormalities, which results in a reduction in the number of emergency visits and their duration.