VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND PROFILES OF LUNG FLUIDS FOR PGD DETECTION AND MONITORING

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a major complication following lung transplantation. PGD reflects the summation of injury inflicted on the donor lung by the transplant process including donor related factors, preservation and reperfusion injury, intraoperative factors, and consequences of intensive care management.

It is a leading cause of death during the early post-transplant period. PGD is currently define based on the presence of chest infiltrates and the PaO2/FIO2 ratio. Patients are classified in four grades from healthy (0) to severe (3).

There has been significant progress in delineating basic mechanisms of PGD and towards identification of genetic or molecular biomarkers capable of predicting, and monitoring PGD. However, continuous method development may provide insight into disease pathogenesis, as well as have prognostic value for predicting the disease trajectory of a patient with PGD.