Iron chelation therapy and lung transplantation: Effects of deferoxamine on lung preservation in canine single lung transplantation

Reperfusion injury is a limiting factor in lung transplantation. Deferoxamine is an iron chelator that inhibits the formation of oxygen-derived free radicals. We investigated the effects of deferoxamine on posttransplantation lung function in a canine model of single lung transplantation. Tweleve dogs underwent left lung transplantation after 20- to 24-hour hypothermic storage in a modified Euro-Collins solution. In six experiments donor and recipient received a 10 mg/kg dose of deferoxamine before harvest and transplantation, and 10 mg/kg was added to the preservation solution. Arterial oxygen tension, alveolar-arterial oxygen difference, pulmonary vascular resistance, and dynamic lung compliance were measured. Data were recorded for 6 hours after ligation of the native pulmonary artery. At the end of the study the mean arterial oxygen tension was 175.1 mm Hg for the deferoxamine treated group versus 71.1 mm Hg for the control group (p < 0.001), and the alveolararterial oxygen difference was less in the deferoxamine-treated group: 502.3 versus 606.0 mm Hg (p < 0.001). The mean pulmonary vascular resistance was lower throughout the study, and after 6 hours it was 455.1 dynes/sec/cm^-5 in the deferoxamine-treated group versus 663.7 dynes/sec/cm^-5 in the control group (p < 0.035). Compliance was similar in both groups. We conclude that deferoxamine improves lung preservation and early posttransplantation function in canine single lung transplantation.