Employment after Lung Transplantation

• DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2015.0213
• Publication Date: 2018-05-02T09:24:09Z
• Authors: Hendrik Suhling; Christine Knuth; Axel Haverich; Heidrun Lingner; Tobias Welte; Jens Gottlieb
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Longevity; Risk Assessment; Disability Evaluation; 03 medical and health sciences; Age Distribution; Return to Work; 0302 clinical medicine; Germany; Prevalence; Humans; Sex Distribution; Retirement; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Survival Rate; Cross-Sectional Studies; Treatment Outcome; Socioeconomic Factors; 8. Economic growth; Quality of Life; Female; Lung Transplantation

359 lung transplantations were performed in Germany in 2013. The main goals of lung transplantation are to prolong survival and improve the quality of life. Both of these goals can be reflected in a return to employment. We report the first study of employment after lung transplantation in Germany.We evaluated the findings of a single-center, questionnaire-based cross-sectional investigation of the social and economic situation of 531 patients (September 2009 to March 2010) and obtained 5-year follow-up data in December 2014.38% of the patients were employed after lung transplantation. They took a mean of ten sick days off from work each year; they did not have infections or organ rejection any more frequently than other patients. The fiveyear follow-up data showed no difference in the overall survival rate of employed and unemployed patients. Employment was associated with a better quality of life (80% [interquartiles: 70%, 95%]) versus 75% [interquartiles: 50%, 85%], p = 0.001). Factors associated with a return to employment included a higher educational level (odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95%confidence interval [CI] 1.7-4, p = 0.001) and better physical fitness (OR 2, 95%CI 1.3-3.2, p = 0.001).The rate of return to work after lung transplantation in Germany is similar to the rates observed in other countries. The findings of this study imply that employment improves the quality of life and does not endanger health. Thus, patients who have received lung transplants should be advised to return to work if possible.