RECURRENCE OF DIFFUSE PANBRONCHIOLITIS AFTER LUNG TRANSPLANTATION

Diffuse panbronchiolitis (DBP) is characterized by chronic inflammatio n of the upper and lower respiratory tract. DPB has been found almost exclusively in oriental populations. We describe the occurrence of a c ase of DPB in an African American patient who underwent bilateral sequ ential lung transplantation. Ten weeks after transplantation, DPB recu rred in the lung allograft, with rapid and significant deterioration i n graft function. Allograft function improved within a few weeks after beginning treatment with erythromycin. This early recurrence is sugge stive of a systemic etiology of DPB. Although recurrence of other syst emic diseases has been reported after lung transplantation, no previou s patients have been reported with early functional deterioration base d solely on disease recurrence.