Survival Following Lung Transplantation for Artificial Stone Silicosis Relative to Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background Silicosis is a progressive lung disease resulting from the inhalation of respirable crystalline silica. Lung transplantation is the only treatment for end-stage silicosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the survival experience following lung transplantation among patients with silicosis. Methods We reviewed data for all patients who underwent lung transplantation for silicosis and a matched group undergoing lung transplantation for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) at a single medical center between March 2006 and the end of December 2013. Survival was followed through 2015. Results A total of 17 lung transplantations were performed for silicosis among 342 lung transplantations (4.9%) during the study period. We observed non-statistically significant survival advantage (hazard ratio 0.6; 95% CI 0.24-1.55) for those undergoing lung transplantation for silicosis relative to IPF patients undergoing lung transplantation during the same period. Conclusions Within the limits of a small sample, survival in silicosis patients following lung transplantation was not reduced compared to IPF. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60: 248-254, 2017. (C) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.