Chronic opioid use is common after organ transplantation, and has been associated with poor outcomes in transplantation of abdominal organs. However, little is known about possible influences of chronic opioid use on outcomes of lung transplantation (LTx).

We assessed whether long-term chronic opioid use influenced clinical outcomes among LTx recipients at our program.

We retrospectively evaluated chronic opioid use among bilateral LTx recipients ages 12 and older followed at our institution 1-5 years post-transplant. Chronic opioid use was defined as ≥3 months of consecutive prescribed use. Outcomes included survival, hospitalization, emergency department and urgent care visits, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and allograft rejection.

Twenty-one patients ages 15-50 years met inclusion criteria. On multivariable analysis, initiation of chronic opioid use was followed by increased mortality hazard (hazard ratio=7.1; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 45.0, P = 0.037) and decreased FEV1 (-16%; 95% CI: -24%, -7%; P < 0.001), although no differences were observed in risk of acute care visits, inpatient admission, or chronic rejection.

This analysis presents the first evidence that late-onset chronic opioid use may be associated with decreased lung function and increased mortality after LTx. Therefore, evaluation of chronic opioid use should be included in the routine monitoring of transplant recipients, to better define the impact of this risk factor on LTx outcomes.