Physician characteristics associated with treatment initiation patterns in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Pirfenidone and nintedanib are oral antifibrotic agents approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Real-world data on factors that influence IPF treatment decisions are limited. Physician characteristics associated with antifibrotic therapy initiation following an IPF diagnosis were examined in a sample of US pulmonologists. An online, self-administered survey was fielded to pulmonologists between April 10, 2017, and May 17, 2017. Pulmonologists were included if they spent >20% of their time in direct patient care and had ≥5 patients with IPF receiving antifibrotics. Participants answered questions regarding timing and reasons for considering the initiation of antifibrotic therapy after an IPF diagnosis. A total of 169 pulmonologists participated. The majority (81.7%) considered initiating antifibrotic therapy immediately after IPF diagnosis all or most of the time (immediate group), while 18.3% considered it only some of the time or not at all (delayed group). Pulmonologists in the immediate group were more likely to work in private practice (26.1%), have a greater mean percentage of patients receiving antifibrotic therapy (60.8%), and decide to initiate treatment themselves (31.2%) versus those in the delayed group (16.1%, 30.5%, and 16.1%, respectively). Most pulmonologists consider initiating antifibrotic treatment immediately after establishing an IPF diagnosis all or most of the time versus using a “watch-and-wait” approach. Distinguishing characteristics between pulmonologists in the immediate group versus the delayed group included practice setting, percentage of patients receiving antifibrotic therapy, and the decision-making dynamics between the patient and the pulmonologist.

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Anticoagulant Use and Bleeding Risk in Central European Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Treated with Antifibrotic Therapy: Real-World Data from EMPIRE

Drug Safety ◽

10.1007/s40264-020-00978-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (10) ◽

pp. 971-980 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Abigél M. Kolonics-Farkas ◽

Martina Šterclová ◽

Nesrin Mogulkoc ◽

Jan Kus ◽

Marta Hájková ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Real World ◽

Bleeding Risk ◽

Real World Data ◽

Central European ◽

World Data ◽

Antifibrotic Therapy

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Combined assessment of the GAP index and body mass index at antifibrotic therapy initiation for prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-98161-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yuzo Suzuki ◽

Kazutaka Mori ◽

Yuya Aono ◽

Masato Kono ◽

Hirotsugu Hasegawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Body Mass ◽

Multivariate Analyses ◽

Rank Test ◽

Antifibrotic Therapy ◽

Log Rank Test ◽

Therapy Initiation ◽

Composition Factors

AbstractAntifibrotic therapy (AFT) slows disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) index, was developed based on data at IPF diagnosis before the introduction of AFT and has not been evaluated in the AFT context. Further, recent advances have revealed the importance of body-composition factors in prognosis of IPF treated with AFT. This multi-centre, retrospective study aimed to evaluate the GAP index and body mass index (BMI) at the time of AFT initiation for predicting prognosis in patients with IPF. This study included two patient cohorts of IPF receiving AFT, Hamamatsu cohort (n = 110) and Seirei cohort (n = 119). The distribution of GAP stages I, II, and III was 38.2%, 43.6%, and 18.2%, respectively, in Hamamatsu cohort; in Seirei cohort, it was 41.2%, 50.4%, and 8.4%, respectively. In both cohorts, the GAP index distinctly classified prognosis into three groups (log-rank test). Interestingly, a lower BMI showed prognostic value independent of the GAP index in multivariate analyses. Subsequently, combining the GAP index with BMI at AFT initiation successfully divided the patients with IPF into four distinct prognoses. Assessment of the GAP index and BMI measurement at AFT initiation are important for predicting prognosis in patients with IPF.

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Comparative outcomes in patients receiving pirfenidone or nintedanib for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Respiratory Research ◽

10.1186/s12931-021-01714-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Manon Belhassen ◽

Faustine Dalon ◽

Maëva Nolin ◽

Eric Van Ganse

Keyword(s):

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Treatment Initiation ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Research Question ◽

National Health System ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Time To Treatment ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Time To Treatment Initiation

Abstract Background Real-world data regarding outcomes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are scarce, outside of registries. In France, pirfenidone and nintedanib are only reimbursed for documented IPF, with similar reimbursement criteria with respect to disease characteristics, prescription through a dedicated form, and IPF diagnosis established in multidisciplinary discussion. Research question The data of the comprehensive French National Health System were used to evaluate outcomes in patients newly treated with pirfenidone or nintedanib in 2015–2016. Study design and methods Patients aged < 50 years or who had pulmonary fibrosis secondary to an identified cause were excluded. All-cause mortality, acute respiratory-related hospitalisations and treatment discontinuations up to 31 December 2017 were compared using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex, year of treatment initiation, time to treatment initiation and proxies of disease severity identified during a pre-treatment period. Results During the study period, a treatment with pirfenidone or nintedanib was newly initiated in 804 and 509 patients, respectively. No difference was found between groups for age, sex, time to treatment initiation, Charlson comorbidity score, and number of hospitalisations or medical contacts prior to treatment initiation. As compared to pirfenidone, nintedanib was associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3–2.6), a greater risk of acute respiratory-related hospitalisations (HR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0–1.7) and a lower risk of treatment discontinuation at 12 months (HR 0.7; 95% CI 0.6–0.9). Interpretation This observational study identified potential differences in outcome under newly prescribed antifibrotic drugs, deserving further explorations.

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Antifibrotic Therapies and Progressive Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Disease (PF-ILD): Building on INBUILD

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10112285 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 2285

Author(s):

John N. Shumar ◽

Abhimanyu Chandel ◽

Christopher S. King

Keyword(s):

Interstitial Lung Disease ◽

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Lung Disease ◽

Lung Diseases ◽

Interstitial Lung Diseases ◽

Treatment Pathway ◽

Antifibrotic Therapy ◽

New Treatment ◽

Fibrotic Lung Diseases

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.

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Switching antifibrotics in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a multi-center retrospective cohort study

BMC Pulmonary Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12890-021-01587-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yuzo Suzuki ◽

Kazutaka Mori ◽

Yuya Aono ◽

Masato Kono ◽

Hirotsugu Hasegawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Propensity Score ◽

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Disease Progression ◽

Retrospective Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Survival Times ◽

Antifibrotic Therapy ◽

Median Period

Abstract Background Currently, there are two antifibrotics used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF): pirfenidone and nintedanib. Antifibrotics slow disease progression by reducing the annual decline of forced vital capacity (FVC), which possibly improves outcomes in IPF patients. During treatment, patients occasionally switch antifibrotic treatments. However, prognostic implication of changing antifibrotics has not yet been evaluated. Methods This multi-center retrospective cohort study examined 262 consecutive IPF patients who received antifibrotic therapy. Antifibrotic agents were switched in 37 patients (14.1%). The prognoses were compared between the patient cohort that switched antifibrotics (Switch-IPF) and those without (Non-Switch-IPF) using propensity-score matched analyses. Results The median period between the initiation of antifibrotic therapy and the drug switch was 25.8 (12.7–35.3) months. The most common reasons for the switch were disease progression (n = 17) followed by gastrointestinal disorders (n = 12). Of the 37 patients that switched antifibrotics, only eight patients disrupted switched antifibrotics by their adverse reactions. The overall prognosis of the Switch-IPF cohort was significantly better than the Non-Switch-IPF cohort (median periods: 67.2 vs. 27.1 months, p < 0.0001). In propensity-score matched analyses that were adjusted to age, sex, FVC (%), history of acute exacerbation, and usage of long-term oxygen therapy, the Switch-IPF cohort had significantly longer survival times than the Non-Switch-IPF group (median 67.2 vs. 41.3 months, p = 0.0219). The second-line antifibrotic therapy showed similar survival probabilities than those in first-line antifibrotic therapy in multistate model analyses. Conclusion Switching antifibrotics is feasible and may improve prognosis in patients with IPF. A further prospective study will be required to confirm clinical implication of switching the antifibrotics.

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