BackgroundLung clearance index (LCI) quantifies global ventilation inhomogeneity, a sensitive biomarker of airway function in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease.ObjectivesWe examined the association of LCI with the risk of death or lung transplantation (LTX) in individuals with CF.MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis in a cohort of individuals with CF aged ≥ five years with available LCI and FEV1 measurements between 1980 and 2006. Outcome was time until death or LTX. We applied Cox proportional hazard regressions using the earliest available LCI and FEV1 values and adjusted for demographic and clinical variables. For sensitivity analyses, we used the mean of the first three LCI and FEV1 measurements, stratified the cohort based on age, and investigated individuals with normal FEV1.ResultsIn total, 237 individuals with CF aged mean (range) 13.9 (5.6–41.0) years were included. This time-to-event analysis accrued 3813 person-years, 94 (40%) individuals died or received LTX. Crude hazard ratios [95% CI] were 1.04 [1.01–1.06] per one z-score increase in LCI and 1.25 [1.11–1.41] per one z-score decrease in FEV1. After adjusting LCI and FEV1 mutually in addition to sex, age, BMI and the number of hospitalisations, hazard ratios were 1.04 [1.01-1.07] for LCI, and 1.12 [0.95-1.33] for FEV1. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results and using the mean LCI strengthened the associations.ConclusionsIncreased ventilation inhomogeneity is associated with greater risk of death or LTX. Our data support LCI as novel surrogate of survival in individuals with CF.TAKE HOME MESSAGELung clearance index (LCI) is a measure of global ventilation inhomogeneity which increases early during the course of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) lung disease. This study shows that LCI is predictive of death or lung transplantation in individuals with CF.Study registration numberNCT04016194