Introduction

Preliminary data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced access to solid organ transplantation, including lung transplantation.

The aim of our study was to analyze hospital admissions for lung transplantation in COPD patients in Spain between 2016 and 2020 and to assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number or outcomes
Material and methods.

Retrospective population-based observational study was conducted using the Minimum Basic Data Set (MBDS).The study consisted of subjects with a diagnosis of COPD who had undergone lung transplantation.

Results

During the study period, 704 lung transplantations were performed among COPD patients. The number of transplants increased from 2016 to 2019 by 8%, 14% and 19% annually, with an 18% reduction observed from 2019 to 2020. 47% of the patients suffered at least one complication (the most frequent were transplant rejection and infection), increasing significantly from 2016 to 2020. Both complications and comorbidity were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. No changes in mortality were detected between 2016 and 2020.

Conclusions

We observed an increase in the number of transplantations from 2016 to 2019, with a drop from 2019 to 2020, probably related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, no changes are detected in in-hospital mortality over time.