scholarly journals Serial CT analysis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: comparison of visual features that determine patient outcome

Thorax ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 648-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Jacob ◽  
Leon Aksman ◽  
Nesrin Mogulkoc ◽  
Alex J Procter ◽  
Bahareh Gholipour ◽  
...  

AimsPatients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) receiving antifibrotic medication and patients with non-IPF fibrosing lung disease often demonstrate rates of annualised forced vital capacity (FVC) decline within the range of measurement variation (5.0%–9.9%). We examined whether change in visual CT variables could help confirm whether marginal FVC declines represented genuine clinical deterioration rather than measurement noise.MethodsIn two IPF cohorts (cohort 1: n=103, cohort 2: n=108), separate pairs of radiologists scored paired volumetric CTs (acquired between 6 and 24 months from baseline). Change in interstitial lung disease, honeycombing, reticulation, ground-glass opacity extents and traction bronchiectasis severity was evaluated using a 5-point scale, with mortality prediction analysed using univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Both IPF populations were then combined to determine whether change in CT variables could predict mortality in patients with marginal FVC declines.ResultsOn univariate analysis, change in all CT variables except ground-glass opacity predicted mortality in both cohorts. On multivariate analysis adjusted for patient age, gender, antifibrotic use and baseline disease severity (diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide), change in traction bronchiectasis severity predicted mortality independent of FVC decline. Change in traction bronchiectasis severity demonstrated good interobserver agreement among both scorer pairs. Across all study patients with marginal FVC declines, change in traction bronchiectasis severity independently predicted mortality and identified more patients with deterioration than change in honeycombing extent.ConclusionsChange in traction bronchiectasis severity is a measure of disease progression that could be used to help resolve the clinical importance of marginal FVC declines.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maomao Xi ◽  
Dan Cui ◽  
Qiaomei Liu ◽  
Lili Li ◽  
Yilin Yin ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: A methodical comparison of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients has not been previously reported. Therefore, we thoroughly analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics between these groups to identify mortality risk factors.Methods: A retrospective cohort of 1,276 hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients at Tongren Hospital (Wuhan, China; January 27 to March 3, 2020) was studied. Cox regression analyses were performed to evaluate multiple mortality risk factors. Results: Both cohorts of confirmed (n=797) and suspected (n=479) patients exhibited typical demographic, clinical, and radiological characteristics. Treatment methods were consistent and both groups shared similarities in many demographic and clinical characteristics: age (≥65, 45.9% vs 41.8%, P=0.378) and lung disease (12.5% vs 14.6%, P=0.293). However, confirmed patients exhibited more severe disease manifestations than those in suspected patients: a higher incidence of fever (65.4% vs 58.0%, P<0.01), lower lymphocyte count (1.12×109/L vs 1.22×109/L, P=0.022), higher C-reactive protein (CRP) (11.60 mg/L vs 7.61mg/L, P=0.021), and more severe radiographic manifestations (lung infection incidence, 3.8% vs 3.0%, P=0.014; ground-glass opacity lesion incidence, 2.3% vs 2.0%, P=0.033). The dynamic profiles of lymphocytes, monocytes, D-dimer, and CRP, clearly delineated confirmed patients from suspected patients exhibiting critical illness. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that lung disease (adjusted hazard ratio 8.972, 95% CI: 3.782-21.283), cardiovascular disease (3.083, 1.347-7.059), neutrophil count (1.189, 1.081-1.307), age (1.068, 1.027-1.110), and ground-glass opacity lesions (1.039, 95% 1.013-1.065), were the main risk factors for mortality in confirmed patients; lung disease (14.725, 2.187-99.147), age (1.076, 1.004-1.153), and CRP level (1.012, 95% CI 1.004-1.020) were the primary factors in suspected patients.Conclusions: Suspected patients with serious illness should seek medical attention to reduce mortality. Multiple factors must be assessed to determine the mortality risk and the appropriate treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3776
Author(s):  
Marlee S. Crews ◽  
Brian J. Bartholmai ◽  
Ayodeji Adegunsoye ◽  
Justin M. Oldham ◽  
Steven M. Montner ◽  
...  

This study aimed to determine diagnostic and prognostic differences in major forms of interstitial lung disease using quantitative CT imaging. A retrospective study of 225 subjects with a multidisciplinary diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF), connective tissue disease (CTD), or chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP) was conducted. Non-contrast CT scans were analyzed using the Computer Aided Lung Informatics for Pathology Evaluation and Rating (CALIPER) program. Resulting data were analyzed statistically using ANOVA and Student’s t-test. Univariate, multivariable, and receiver operating characteristic analyses were conducted on patient mortality data. CALIPER analysis of axial distribution on CT scans in those with IPF demonstrated greater peripheral volumes of reticulation than either CTD (p = 0.033) or cHP (p = 0.007). CTD showed lower peripheral ground-glass opacity than IPF (p = 0.005) and IPAF (p = 0.004). Statistical analysis of zonal distributions revealed reduced lower zone ground-glass opacity in cHP than IPF (p = 0.044) or IPAF (p = 0.018). Analysis of pulmonary vascular-related structure (VRS) volume by diagnosis indicated greater VRS volume in IPF compared to CTD (p = 0.003) and cHP (p = 0.003) as well as in IPAF compared to CTD (p = 0.007) and cHP (p = 0.007). Increased reticulation (p = 0.043) and ground glass opacity (p = 0.032) were predictive of mortality on univariate analysis. Increased pulmonary VRS volume was predictive of mortality (p < 0.001) even after multivariate analysis (p = 0.041). Quantitative CT imaging revealed significant differences between ILD diagnoses in specific CT findings in axial and, to a lesser degree, zonal distributions. Increased pulmonary VRS volume seems to be associated with both diagnosis and survival.


Diagnostics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 450
Author(s):  
Federica Galioto ◽  
Stefano Palmucci ◽  
Giovanna M. Astuti ◽  
Ada Vancheri ◽  
Giulio Distefano ◽  
...  

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fibrotic lung disease with uncertain origins and pathogenesis; it represents the most common interstitial lung disease (ILD), associated with a pathological pattern of usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP). This disease has a poor prognosis, having the most lethal prognosis among ILDs. In fact, the progressive fibrosis related to IPF could lead to the development of complications, such as acute exacerbation, lung cancer, infections, pneumothorax and pulmonary hypertension. Pneumologists, radiologists and pathologists play a key role in the identification of IPF disease, and in the characterization of its complications—which unfortunately increase disease mortality and reduce overall survival. The early identification of these complications is very important, and requires an integrated approach among specialists, in order to plane the correct treatment. In some cases, the degree of severity of patients having IPF complications may require a personalized approach, based on palliative care services. Therefore, in this paper, we have focused on clinical and radiological features of the complications that occurred in our IPF patients, providing a comprehensive and accurate pictorial essay for clinicians, radiologists and surgeons involved in their management.


Author(s):  
Elena Aloisio ◽  
Federica Braga ◽  
Chiara Puricelli ◽  
Mauro Panteghini

Abstract Objectives Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive interstitial disease with limited therapeutic options. The measurement of Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) glycoprotein has been proposed for evaluating the risk of IPF progression and predicting patient prognosis, but the robustness of available evidence is unclear. Methods We searched Medline and Embase databases for peer-reviewed literature from inception to April 2020. Original articles investigating KL-6 as prognostic marker for IPF were retrieved. Considered outcomes were the risk of developing acute exacerbation (AE) and patient survival. Meta-analysis of selected studies was conducted, and quantitative data were uniformed as odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) estimates, with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Twenty-six studies were included in the systematic review and 14 were finally meta-analysed. For AE development, the pooled OR (seven studies) for KL-6 was 2.72 (CI 1.22–6.06; p=0.015). However, a high degree of heterogeneity (I2=85.6%) was found among selected studies. Using data from three studies reporting binary data, a pooled sensitivity of 72% (CI 60–82%) and a specificity of 60% (CI 52–68%) were found for KL-6 measurement in detecting insurgence of AE in IPF patients. Pooled HR (seven studies) for mortality prediction was 1.009 (CI 0.983–1.036; p=0.505). Conclusions Although our meta-analysis suggested that IPF patients with increased KL-6 concentrations had a significant increased risk of developing AE, the detection power of the evaluated biomarker is limited. Furthermore, no relationship between biomarker concentrations and mortality was found. Caution is also needed when extending obtained results to non-Asian populations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2285
Author(s):  
John N. Shumar ◽  
Abhimanyu Chandel ◽  
Christopher S. King

Progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF-ILD) describes a phenotypic subset of interstitial lung diseases characterized by progressive, intractable lung fibrosis. PF-ILD is separate from, but has radiographic, histopathologic, and clinical similarities to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Two antifibrotic medications, nintedanib and pirfenidone, have been approved for use in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Recently completed randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the clinical efficacy of antifibrotic therapy in patients with PF-ILD. The validation of efficacy of antifibrotic therapy in PF-ILD has changed the treatment landscape for all of the fibrotic lung diseases, providing a new treatment pathway and opening the door for combined antifibrotic and immunosuppressant drug therapy to address both the fibrotic and inflammatory components of ILD characterized by mixed pathophysiologic pathways.


Author(s):  
Ali H. Elmokadem ◽  
Dalia Bayoumi ◽  
Sherif A. Abo-Hedibah ◽  
Ahmed El-Morsy

Abstract Background To evaluate the diagnostic performance of chest CT in differentiating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and non-COVID-19 causes of ground-glass opacities (GGO). Results A total of 80 patients (49 males and 31 females, 46.48 ± 16.09 years) confirmed with COVID-19 by RT-PCR and who underwent chest CT scan within 2 weeks of symptoms, and 100 patients (55 males and 45 females, 48.94 ± 18.97 years) presented with GGO on chest CT were enrolled in the study. Three radiologists reviewed all CT chest exams after removal of all identifying data from the images. They expressed the result as positive or negative for COVID-19 and recorded the other pulmonary CT features with mention of laterality, lobar affection, and distribution pattern. The clinical data and laboratory findings were recorded. Chest CT offered diagnostic accuracy ranging from 59 to 77.2% in differentiating COVID-19- from non-COVID-19-associated GGO with sensitivity from 76.25 to 90% and specificity from 45 to 67%. The specificity was lower when differentiating COVID-19 from non-COVID-19 viral pneumonias (30.5–61.1%) and higher (53.1–70.3%) after exclusion of viral pneumonia from the non-COVID-19 group. Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to have lesions in lower lobes (p = 0.005), peripheral distribution (p < 0.001), isolated ground-glass opacity (p = 0.043), subpleural bands (p = 0.048), reverse halo sign (p = 0.005), and vascular thickening (p = 0.013) but less likely to have pulmonary nodules (p < 0.001), traction bronchiectasis (p = 0.005), pleural effusion (p < 0.001), and lymphadenopathy (p < 0.001). Conclusions Chest CT offered reasonable sensitivity when differentiating COVID-19- from non-COVID-19-associated GGO with low specificity when differentiating COVID-19 from other viral pneumonias and moderate specificity when differentiating COVID-19 from other causes of GGO.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 982.2-982
Author(s):  
C. Aguilera Cros ◽  
M. Gomez Vargas ◽  
R. J. Gil Velez ◽  
J. A. Rodriguez Portal

Background:There is no specific treatment for interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) other than the treatment of RA without extra-articular involvement. Current regimens usually include corticosteroid therapy with or without immunosuppressants (IS), there is no consensus for the treatment.Objectives:To analyze the different treatment regimens in a cohort of patients with ILD and RA in our clinical practice.Methods:Descriptive study of 57 patients treated in our Hospital (1/1/2018 until 12/31/2019) with a diagnosis of RA (ACR 2010 criteria) and secondary ILD.The most recent American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS)/Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS)/Latin American Thoracic Society (ALAT) guidelines define three HRCT (High Resolution Computed Tomography) patterns of fibrosing lung disease in the setting of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF): definite Usual Interstitial pneumonia (UIP) (traction bronchiectasis and honeycombing), possible UIP and inconsistent with UIP. The distinction between definite UIP and possible UIP in these to the presence or absence of honeycombing. Approved by the Ethics Committee.Quantitative variables are expressed as mean (SD) and dichotomous variables as percentages (%). Statistical analysis with SPSS version 21.Results:21 men and 36 women were included, with a mean age of 69 ± 10 years (mean ± SD), history of smoking (smokers 14%, non-smokers 43%, former smokers 42%). Clinical ILD at diagnosis (dyspnea 61%, dry cough 56%, crackling 70%, acropachy 7%). 84% were positive rheumatoid factor and 70% positive anticitrullinated protein antibody.Diagnosis of ILD by HRCT in 100% of patients with different patterns: defined UIP 26 (45%), probable UIP 2 (3%) and not UIP 29 (50%). The diagnosis of ILD was confirmed by biopsy in 12 patients.79% underwent (T) treatment prior to the diagnosis of ILD with glucocorticoids and disease-modifying drugs (DMARD). Among the traditional DMARDs used were: Methotrexate 68% (there were no cases of MTX pneumonitis), Leflunomide 47%, Hydroxychloroquine 26% and Sulfasalazine 21%. Biological therapy in 15 patients: Etanercept 19%, Adalimumab 5%, Infliximab 3% and Certolizumab 2%. Two patients presented an exacerbation and rapid progression of the ILD during the T with Etanercept with the final result of death.T with IS after the diagnosis of ILD in 80% of patients (Azathioprine 15, Rituximab 14, Abatacept 10, Tocilizumab 4, Sarilumab 1, Mofetil mycophenolate 1 and Cyclophosphamide 1).Two patients with defined UIP perform T with antifibrotic: 1st Nintedanib (INBUILD Trial, This article was published on September 29, 2019, at NEJM.org) 2nd Pirfenidone (initial diagnosis of IPF Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and subsequent of seropositive RA with UIP). Both improved greater than 10% in forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in the 6 months after onset of T.Conclusion:Our results, in general, agree with what is published in the literature. Prospective, multicentre and larger sample studies are necessary to better define which patients would benefit more from IS T or antifibrotic T (or if the antifibrotic should be added to the previous IS).Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e000829
Author(s):  
Shaney L Barratt ◽  
Havra H Adamali ◽  
Caroline Cotton ◽  
Ben Mulhearn ◽  
Hina Iftikhar ◽  
...  

IntroductionAntisynthetase syndrome (ASyS) is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disease (CTD), associated with autoantibodies targeting tRNA synthetase enzymes, that can present to respiratory (interstitial lung disease (ILD)) or rheumatology (myositis, inflammatory arthritis and systemic features) services. The therapeutic management of CTD-associated ILD and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) differs widely, thus accurate diagnosis is essential.MethodsWe undertook a retrospective, multicentre observational cohort study designed to (1) evaluate differences between ASyS-associated ILD with IPF, (2) phenotypic differences in patients with ASyS-ILD presenting to respiratory versus rheumatology services, (3) differences in outcomes between ASySassociated with Jo-1 versus non-Jo-1 autoantibodies and (4) compare long-term outcomes between these groups.ResultsWe identified 76 patients with ASyS-ILD and 78 with IPF. Patients with ASyS were younger at presentation (57 vs 77 years, p<0.001) with a female predominance (57% vs 33%, p=0.006) compared with IPF. Cytoplasmic staining on indirect immunofluorescence was a differentiating factor between ASyS and IPF (71% vs 0%, p<0.0001). Patients with ASyS presenting initially to respiratory services (n=52) had a higher prevalence of ASyS non-Jo-1 antibodies and significantly fewer musculoskeletal symptoms/biochemical evidence of myositis, compared with those presenting to rheumatology services (p<0.05), although lung physiology was similar in both groups. There were no differences in high-resolution CT appearances or outcomes in those with Jo-1 versus non-Jo-1 ASyS-ILD.ConclusionsExtended autoimmune serology is needed to evaluate for ASyS autoantibodies in patients presenting with ILD, particularly in younger female patients. Musculoskeletal involvement is common in ASyS (typically Jo-1 autoantibodies) presenting to rheumatology but the burden of ILD is similar to those presenting to respiratory medicine.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document