Table 1.

Diagnoses, key points, and treatments of noninfectious lung injury after HCT

DiagnosisPeak time post HCT/structureKey findingsAdditional diagnosisProposed treatments
DAH <day 30 post HCT endothelial Hypoxia, new infiltrate, bloody BAL Hemosiderin-laden macrophages Inhaled transexamic acid, intrapulmonary recombinant factor VIIa 
PERDS (IPS) Pre-engraftment
Alveolar (from endothelial damage) 
Respiratory distress/hypoxia Multilobar infiltrates Steroids/etanercept 
CLS (IPS) Engraftment to day 15
Alveolar (from endothelial damage) 
Dyspnea/hypoxia, >3% weight gain Multilobar infiltrates Steroids/etanercept 
AIP and toxin-related lung injuries, DPTC 50 days post HCT
Alveolar 
Fever, dyspnea, cough Ground glass on imaging/bilateral infiltrates,
restrictive PFT 
 
IPS (PERDS, CLS, DAH, AIP, DPTC) 45 days post HCT
Alveolar 
Hypoxia, pulmonary infiltrates  Steroids/etanercept 
CRS <7 days postcellular therapy
Alveolar 
Respiratory compromise, hypoxia Infiltrates Tociluzumab 
PVOD, PCT, TA-TMA 15-120 days post HCT
Endothelial 
Hypoxia, dyspnea, vascular occlusion, may progress to pulmonary hypertension
Biopsy diagnosis 
 Sildenafil (PVOD, TA-TMA), nitric oxide (TA-TMA) prostacyclins, calcium channel blockers (PVOD) Steroids (PCT)? 
RLD after HCT Day 100-1 year
Alveolar 
Decreased FEV1, normal FEV1/VC ratio, fibrosis on CT (upper lobes) PPFE, NSIP interstitial pneumonia; can include other diagnoses Etanercept
Poor response to steroids 
BOS Day 100-1.5 years
Airway 
FEV1 < 75%, ≥10% decline, FEV1/VC LL of the 90% CI, absence of infection and either preexisting cGVHD, air trapping by expiratory CT or by PFT, or circumferential fibrosis of bronchioles on biopsy Newer modalities: PRM and xenon-129 MRI FAM: inhaled fluticasone, azithromycin, montelukast +1 mg/kg/d prednisone with rapid taper;
ECP, etanercept, GERD tx, nutrition, infection prophylaxis 
Non-HCT-specific complications:
TRALI/TACO,
PE,
ARDS,
A1AT,
cancer/PTLD,
pneumothorax 
Alveolar (ARDS, PTLD)
Airway (A1AT)
Endothelial (TRALI/TACO, PE) 
TRALI/TACO: temporal association blood products, fever, acute dyspnea
PE: dyspnea/hypoxia, V/Q+
ARDS: fever, dyspnea, hypoxia, bilateral infiltrates 
A1AT: obstructive disease, emphysema, bronchiectasis
PTLD: nodules/EBV+ 
TRALI/TACO: supportive care
PE: anticoagulants
ARDS: treat underlying cause (often antimicrobial) and supportive care
A1AT: A1AT infusion, inhaled steroids
PTLD: rituximab, cellular therapy
Pneumothorax: chest tube 
DiagnosisPeak time post HCT/structureKey findingsAdditional diagnosisProposed treatments
DAH <day 30 post HCT endothelial Hypoxia, new infiltrate, bloody BAL Hemosiderin-laden macrophages Inhaled transexamic acid, intrapulmonary recombinant factor VIIa 
PERDS (IPS) Pre-engraftment
Alveolar (from endothelial damage) 
Respiratory distress/hypoxia Multilobar infiltrates Steroids/etanercept 
CLS (IPS) Engraftment to day 15
Alveolar (from endothelial damage) 
Dyspnea/hypoxia, >3% weight gain Multilobar infiltrates Steroids/etanercept 
AIP and toxin-related lung injuries, DPTC 50 days post HCT
Alveolar 
Fever, dyspnea, cough Ground glass on imaging/bilateral infiltrates,
restrictive PFT 
 
IPS (PERDS, CLS, DAH, AIP, DPTC) 45 days post HCT
Alveolar 
Hypoxia, pulmonary infiltrates  Steroids/etanercept 
CRS <7 days postcellular therapy
Alveolar 
Respiratory compromise, hypoxia Infiltrates Tociluzumab 
PVOD, PCT, TA-TMA 15-120 days post HCT
Endothelial 
Hypoxia, dyspnea, vascular occlusion, may progress to pulmonary hypertension
Biopsy diagnosis 
 Sildenafil (PVOD, TA-TMA), nitric oxide (TA-TMA) prostacyclins, calcium channel blockers (PVOD) Steroids (PCT)? 
RLD after HCT Day 100-1 year
Alveolar 
Decreased FEV1, normal FEV1/VC ratio, fibrosis on CT (upper lobes) PPFE, NSIP interstitial pneumonia; can include other diagnoses Etanercept
Poor response to steroids 
BOS Day 100-1.5 years
Airway 
FEV1 < 75%, ≥10% decline, FEV1/VC LL of the 90% CI, absence of infection and either preexisting cGVHD, air trapping by expiratory CT or by PFT, or circumferential fibrosis of bronchioles on biopsy Newer modalities: PRM and xenon-129 MRI FAM: inhaled fluticasone, azithromycin, montelukast +1 mg/kg/d prednisone with rapid taper;
ECP, etanercept, GERD tx, nutrition, infection prophylaxis 
Non-HCT-specific complications:
TRALI/TACO,
PE,
ARDS,
A1AT,
cancer/PTLD,
pneumothorax 
Alveolar (ARDS, PTLD)
Airway (A1AT)
Endothelial (TRALI/TACO, PE) 
TRALI/TACO: temporal association blood products, fever, acute dyspnea
PE: dyspnea/hypoxia, V/Q+
ARDS: fever, dyspnea, hypoxia, bilateral infiltrates 
A1AT: obstructive disease, emphysema, bronchiectasis
PTLD: nodules/EBV+ 
TRALI/TACO: supportive care
PE: anticoagulants
ARDS: treat underlying cause (often antimicrobial) and supportive care
A1AT: A1AT infusion, inhaled steroids
PTLD: rituximab, cellular therapy
Pneumothorax: chest tube 

EBV, Epstein-Barr virus; ECP, extracorporeal photopheresis; FAM, inhaled fluticasone, azithromycin, and montelukast + 1 mg/kg/d steroid burst and rapid taper; GERD tx, gastro-esophageal reflux disease treatment; PRM; parametric response mapping; V/Q, ventilation/perfusion scan.

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