Differences in baseline characteristics and clinical courses between the groups with and without changes from baseline to 12 months after LDLLT in the ESMCSA or ESMCT
| ESMCSA at 12 months after LDLLT | ESMCT at 12 months after LDLLT | |||||
| Ratio to baseline <1 | Ratio to baseline ≥1 | p-value# | Ratio to baseline <1 | Ratio to baseline ≥1 | p-value# | |
| Patients n | 15 | 20 | 28 | 7 | ||
| Female n (%) | 9 (60%) | 10 (50%) | 0.57 | 15 (46%) | 4 (43%) | 0.87 |
| mMRC score 0/1/2/3/4 n | 0/0/0/8/7 | 0/0/0/8/12 | 0.43 | 0/0/0/13/15 | 0/0/0/3/4 | 0.60 |
| Age years | 49.9±11.1 | 44.5±14.4 | 0.23 | 46.3±13.4 | 48.6±12.9 | 0.69 |
| BMI kg·m−2 | 20.2±3.4 | 17.2±2.5 | 0.004 | 18.5±3.3 | 18.5±3.1 | 0.98 |
| Albumin g·dL−1 | 3.7±0.6 | 3.6±0.5 | 0.70 | 3.6±0.6 | 3.7±0.6 | 0.94 |
| VC % predicted | 47.3±16.8 | 42.1±17.7 | 0.44 | 45.4±18.2 | 41.8±13.8 | 0.66 |
| FEV1/FVC % | 84.7±20.1 | 70.1±25.5 | 0.11 | 75.8±23.4 | 81.9±26.9 | 0.59 |
| FEV1 % predicted | 47.6±18.3 | 30.8±16.4 | 0.02 | 38.7±19.2 | 39.7±19.9 | 0.91 |
| DLCO % predicted | 21.5±16.5 | 28.7±9.9 | 0.40 | 25.2±15.3 | 17.5±7.4 | 0.51 |
| 6MWD m | 225.7±107.9 | 195.6±103.0 | 0.47 | 204.5±107.7 | 228.6±95.5 | 0.65 |
| ESMCSA cm2 | 26.3±8.2 | 20.6±5.3 | 0.02 | 23.0±7.1 | 23.2±8.2 | 0.95 |
| ESMCT HU | 40.9±11.4 | 48.8±6.8 | 0.02 | 46.7±8.2 | 40.3±14.0 | 0.12 |
| Predicted postoperative VC % predicted | 59.0±10.8 | 63.6±17.6 | 0.37 | 61.5±16.4 | 62.3±8.5 | 0.65 |
| Preoperative steroid use n (%) | 8 (53%) | 14 (70%) | 0.33 | 19 (68%) | 3 (43%) | 0.23 |
| Postoperative steroid pulse therapy n (%) | 11 (73%) | 14 (70%) | 0.84 | 21 (75%) | 4 (57%) | 0.36 |
| Postoperative cumulative steroid dose mg·kg−1 | 148.4±30.7 | 150.5±23.6 | 0.81 | 147.7±26.3 | 157.1±28.0 | 0.41 |
| Tacrolimus use n (%) | 12 (80%) | 8 (40%) | 0.02 | 17 (61%) | 3 (43%) | 0.41 |
| Tracheostomy n (%) | 11 (73%) | 9 (45%) | 0.10 | 18 (64%) | 2 (29%) | 0.09 |
| Duration of mechanical ventilation days | 17.7±18.0 | 10.1±11.0 | 0.13 | 15.4±15.6 | 5.4±5.7 | 0.11 |
| Initial walking, postoperative days | 15.0±11.0 | 10.2±6.0 | 0.11 | 12.7±9.4 | 10.9±6.3 | 0.63 |
| Intensive care unit stay days | 13.5±7.8 | 10.4±3.5 | 0.12 | 12.5±6.0 | 8.4±4.1 | 0.10 |
| Hospital stay days | 96.9±67.3 | 78.0±21.0 | 0.24 | 85.2±51.6 | 89.6±22.1 | 0.83 |
| Δ at 3 months of ESMCSA, cm2 (3 months – baseline) | −4.5±4.6 | −0.6±1.8 | 0.001 | −2.2±3.8 | −2.5±4.0 | 0.86 |
| Δ at 3 months of ESMCT, HU (3 months – baseline) | −3.3±6.5 | −3.9±5.8 | 0.79 | −5.3±5.4 | 3.1±3.1 | <0.001 |
Data are presented as mean±sd or n (%), unless otherwise stated. Δ at 3 months of ESMCSA and ESMCT were calculated by subtracting the values at baseline from those at 3 months (3 months – baseline). LDLLT: living-donor lobar lung transplantation; ESMCSA: cross-sectional area of the erector spinae muscles; ESMCT: mean computed tomography values of the erector spinae muscles; mMRC: modified Medical Research Council; BMI: body mass index; VC: vital capacity; FEV1: forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC: forced vital capacity; DLCO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; 6MWD: 6-min walk distance.#: Chi-squared test or t-test.