Objective To investigate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome ( OSAHS) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( IPF) and its clinical significance. Methods Sleep quality and breathing disorders were measured by polysomnography and the relationship with lung function was analyzed in 20 IPF patients. Results Thirteen of 20 subjects ( 65% ) had OSAHS as defined by an AHI ≥5 events per hour. Three subjects ( 15% ) had mild OSAHS ( AHI,5 to 20 events per hour) , and 10 subjects ( 50% ) had moderate-to-severe OSAHS ( AHI≥20 events per hour) . The sleep architecture in these patients showed a reduction in sleep efficiency, rapid eye movement ( REM) sleep and slow wave sleep, and a marked sleep fragmentation due to an increased arousal index. The AHI was negatively correlated with FVC% pred ( r =-0.672, P=0.001) and FEV1% pred ( r =-0.659, P=0.002) , and positively correlated with body mass index ( BMI) ( r=0.791, Plt;0.0001) . Conclusions OSAHS is a common comorbidity in IPF. Early treatment of OSAHS may improve quality of life and the prognosis of patients with IPF.
Objective To improve the awareness of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( AEIPF) and discuss its clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and outcome. Methods The clinical data of patients with AEIPF from June 2006 to June 2011 in 11 hospitals in Jiangsu were collected and analyzed. Resluts There were 18 males and 3 females in the AEIPF patients with mean age of ( 67.4 ± 8.1) years. The duration from IPF diagnosis was ( 7.4 ±8.2) months. The duration of acute symptom before admission was ( 7.0 ±5.3) days. The distribution pattern of new groud-glass opacity was peripheral in 3 patients,multifocal in 5 patients, and diffuse in13 patients. All patients were treated with corticosteroid pulse therapy. Nine patients survived and 12 patients died. The mortality rate was 57.1% . Conclusions AEIPF progresses quickly and the mortality rate is very high. Corticosteroid pulse therapy is the mainstay of therapy in AEIPF patients.
Objective To study the risk factors of developing progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) within one year in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), and develop a nomogram. Methods A retrospective study was conducted in 145 cases of RA-ILD patients diagnosed and followed up in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2010 to October 2022. Among them, 106 patients and 39 patients were randomly assigned to a training group and a verification group. The independent predictors of PPF in patients with RA-ILD within one year were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Then a nomogram is established through these independent predictive variables. Calibration curve, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under ROC curve (AUC) and clinical decision curve were used to evaluate the predictive efficiency of the nomogram model for PPF in RA-ILD patients within one year. Finally, internal validation was used to test the stability of the model. Results Of the 145 patients with RA-ILD, 62 (42.76%) developed PPF within one year, including 40 (37.7%) in the training group and 22 (56.41%) in the verification group. The PPF patients had higher proportion of subpleural abnormalities, higher visual score of fibrosis and shorter duration of RA. Logistic regression analysis showed that the duration of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), visual score of fibrosis and subpleural abnormality were independent risk factors for the occurrence of PPF within one year after diagnosis of RA-ILD. A nomogram was constructed based on these independent risk factors. The AUC values of the training group and the verification group were 0.798 (95%CI 0.713 - 0.882) and 0.822 (95%CI 0.678 - 0.967) respectively, indicating that the model had a good ability to distinguish. The clinical decision curve showed that the clinical benefit of PPF risk prediction model was greater when the risk threshold was between 0.06 and 0.71. Conclusion According to the duration of RA, the visual score of fibrosis and the presence of subpleural abnormalities, the predictive model of PPF was drawn to provide reference for the clinical prediction of PPF in patients with RA-ILD within one year after diagnosis.
Objective To investigate the preventive therapeutic effects of CPD1, a novel phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, on lung pathological phenotype and interstitial fibrosis of lung in pulmonary fibrosis model rats caused by bleomycin (BLM). Methods Rats were randomly divided into a sham surgery group (n=10), a model group (n=14), a CPD1 treatment group (n=13), and a nintedanib positive control drug treatment group (n=13). Pulmonary fibrosis model was constructed by slowly instilling BLM (3 mg/kg) into the left bronchus in the model group and two treatment groups. Two hours after BLM infusion, the rats were treated with CPD1 (20 mg·kg–1·d–1), or positive control drug nintedanib (50 mg·kg–1·d–1) by intragastric administration, respectively, for 2 weeks. To observe the effect of CPD1 treatment on pathological structural damage, collagen deposition, and the expression of fibronectin (Fn), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Collagen Ⅰ, and E-cadherin (E-Cad) in the affected lung tissues of unilateral pulmonary fibrosis rats. Moreover, to further observed the effects of CPD1 intervention on the expression of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and Smad3 in the cell model of human alveolar basal epithelial A549 cells. Results Compared with the control group, the lung tissue structure was seriously damaged in the BLM group, and with expansion of the alveolar space, collapse of the alveolar lumen. Significant widening of the alveolar septum and thickening of the alveolar wall were observed in the BLM group. There was a marked increase in collagen deposition in the thickened walls of the BLM group. Moreover, the expressions of Fn, α-SMA, Collagen Ⅰ, TGF-β and Smad3 were increased, while the expression of E-Cad significantly decreased in the BLM group (all P<0.05). Compared with the BLM group, the lung tissue damage was significantly improved in the CPD1 group rats. Furthermore, CPD1 inhibit the expression of Fn, α-SMA, Collagen Ⅰ, TGF-β and Smad3, and upregulate the expression of E-Cad (all P<0.05). Conclusions Prophylactic treatment with phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor CPD1 strongly attenuates BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting the lung injury and inflammation response via targeting TGF-β/Smad pathway, reducing the deposition of extracellular matrix.
Objective To explore the correlation and mechanism of ferroptosis with pulmonary fibrosis. Methods Pulmonary fibrosis tissue sequencing data were obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus and FerrDb databases from January 2019 to December 2023. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the normal control group and the pulmonary fibrosis group were analyzed by bioinformatic method, and DEGs related to pulmonary iron addiction were extracted. The hub genes were screened by enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and random forest algorithm. The mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis was made for exercise intervention, and the expression of hub genes was verified by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results A comparison of 103 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and 103 normal lung tissues showed that 13 up-regulated genes and 7 down-regulated genes were identified as ferroptosis-related DEGs. PPI results showed that there was an interaction between these ferroptosis-related genes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment and Genome Ontology enrichment analysis showed that ferroptosis-related genes were involved in organic anion transport, hypoxia response, oxygen level reduction response, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 signaling pathway, renal cell carcinoma, and arachidonic acid metabolic signaling pathway. Genes identified by PPI analysis and random forest algorithm included CAV1, NOS2, GDF15, HNF4A, and CDKN2A. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction results of mouse fibrotic lung tissue showed that compared with the exercise group, the mRNA levels of NOS2, PTGS2 and GDF15 were up-regulated and the mRNA levels of CAV1 and CDKN2A were down-regulated in the bleomycin group (P<0.05); compared with the bleomycin group, the expression of CAV1 and CDKN2A increased and the expression of NOS2, PTGS2 and GDF15 decreased in the bleomycin + exercise group (P<0.05). Conclusions Bioinformatic analysis identifies 20 potential genes associating with ferroptosis in pulmonary fibrosis. CAV1, NOS2, GDF15, and CDKN2A influence the development of pulmonary fibrosis by modulating ferroptosis. Treadmill training can reduce ferroptosis in fibrotic tissues, thereby reducing lung inflammation.
ObjectiveBased on real-word data, and compared with two common chronic respiratory diseases, interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), this case-control study plans to investigate the risk factors and clinical characteristics of patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema syndrome (CPFE).MethodsA retrospective case-control study was carried out to screen the clinical data of 96 patients with CPFE, 133 patients with COPD and 164 patients with ILD, analyze their demographics, clinical data, complications and related clinical indicators. Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences among the three groups, and multivariate logistic analysis was used to screen for risk factors.ResultsAll three groups were in old age with the average age of above 71 years. In terms of male ratio and smoking rate, the CPFE group (93.8%, 85.4%) was higher than the ILD group (75.0%, 64.0%), but there was no significant difference when compared with the COPD group (90.2%, 82.0%). Regarding comorbid disease, the proportion of connective tissue disease (CTD) in the CPFE group (10.4%) and the ILD group (13.4%) was higher than that in the COPD group (1.5%). The proportion of hyperlipidemia in the CPFE group (8.3%) was higher than that in the COPD group (1.5%) and the ILD group (1.2%). There were differences in the abnormal proportion of antinuclear antibody among the three groups, but no significant difference was found when compared with the CPFE group alone. The CPFE group (46.9%, 12.5%) and the ILD group (54.9%, 9.8%) were significantly higher than the COPD group (34.6%, 2.3%) in terms of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) abnormal proportion and cancer rate. In terms of the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension, the CPFE group (41.7%) > the COPD group (33.1%) > the ILD group (32.9%) was shown, but no statistical significance was found among the three groups.ConclusionsMale and smoking are not only risk factors for COPD but also for CPFE. At the same time, the suffering of CPFE may be affected by immune factors and hyperlipidemia. The proportion of CPFE patients complicated with cancer and CEA abnormalities is higher than COPD patients. The severity of pulmonary hypertension in CPFE patients is significantly higher than the other two diseases.
Objective To explore the imaging features of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ( IPF) under high-resolution computed tomography ( HRCT) . Methods The HRCT imaging features of six patients who met the criteria for acute exacerbation of IPF were analyzed retrospectively. Results The manifestations of IPF on HRCT scan were various in forms and distribution, as multifocal, ground-glass opacity, reticular shadow, honeycombing densities, capillary bronchiectasis,subpleural lines, traction bronchiolectasis and emphysema. The characteristic lesions were newly diffuse bilateral ground-glass opacity at the time of acute exacerbation, superimposed on subpleural reticular and honeycombing densities. Conclusions Chest HRCT findings in acute exacerbation of IPF are characteristic.HRCT is accurate and superior in diagnosis of IPF and in determining acute exacerbation of IPF.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of pirfenidone in Chinese patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
MethodsIn a multicenter,randomized,double-blind,comparative clinical trial,87 patients with IPF were randomly divided into two groups. Group A (43 patients) were treated with pirfenidone (1 200 mg per day) for 48 weeks,while Group B (44 patients) were treated with placebo. Clinical features were compared between two groups including efficacy indicators (pulmonary function,6MWT,and quality of life scores) and safety indicators (incidence of adverse events).
ResultsForced vital capacity (FVC) was increased by (90±410)mL in Group A and decreased by (70±310)mL in Group B (P<0.05);In Group A,forced expiratory volume in 1 second was raised by (100±330)mL and (110±240)mL following 12 and 24 weeks after treatment,significantly different from group B (P<0.05). There were significant differences in 6MWT between two groups 36 and 48 weeks after treatment respectively(both P<0.05). Quality of life scores,including the St. George's score (excluding symptoms) and dyspnea score,were significantly higher in Group A than Group B (both P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between Groups A and B (83.72% vs. 72.73%,P>0.05).
ConclusionDomestic pirfenidone is clinically effective and safe for the treatment of IPF in Chinese patients.
Objective To study the prevalence of combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) in a community-based lung cancer screening program in Shanghai. Methods From June 2018 to July 2019, eligible participants who were assessed through a high-risk lung cancer questionnaire in Xuhui, Shanghai underwent low-dose computed tomography of the lungs. The suspected CPFE patients were invited to provide medical history and blood for analysis, and received high-resolution CT (HRCT) scanning for confirmation. Results Of the 15 cases of suspected CPFE from a total of 4478 participants in which 1704 males and 2774 females, 4 declined further examination and 11 received further examine. Eight subjects were confirmed as CPFE, and all were male, of whom two were ex-smokers and six were active smokers. These CPFE patients had cough, chest tightness and dyspnea. There were 3 cases of centrilobular emphysema, 2 cases of paraseptal emphysema, 1 case of panlobular emphysema and 2 cases of mixed emphysema. There were 2 cases of usual interstitial pneumonia, 3 cases of non-specific interstitial pneumonia, 2 cases of airspace enlargement with fibrosis and 1 case of unclassifiable smoking-related interstitial fibrosis. The KBILD scores were 61.7±7.5 and mMRC scores were 1.5±0.8. Serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 concentration was (380.75±212.05)U/mL. Lung function test showed normal or mild restrictive ventilatory function, and mild-moderate impairment in diffusion capacity. Conclusions The prevalence of CPFE is 1.79‰ in a community-based lung cancer screening population, and is 4.69‰ in male lung cancer screening population.
ObjectiveTo detect the levels of Krebs von den lungen 6 (KL-6) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF),and explore its clinical significance.
MethodsThirty-four patients with IPF and 10 patients with sarcoidosis in Ⅰ period were recruited in the study. ELISA was used to detect the level of KL-6 in BALF and serum.
ResultsIn the IPF group,the forced vital capacity as percentage of predicted value (FVC% pred) and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide as percentage of predicted value (DLCO %pred) were both significantly lower than those of the sarcoidosis group[(69.51±13.65)% vs. (82.06±5.84)%,(48.58±12.73)% vs. (81.47±6.39)%,P<0.01]. In the BALF of IPF group,the percentage of neutrophils was higher[(8.91±6.79)% vs. (5.50±3.60)%,P<0.05],and the percentages of lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 ratio were lower than those of the sarcoidosis group[(11.71±6.64)% vs. (23.30±12.68)%,(1.46±0.83) vs. (4.01±5.10),P<0.05]. In the IPF group,the level of KL-6 in the BALF and serum was higher than that of the arcoidosis group[(437.43±251.70) U/mL vs. (221.59±127.41) U/mL,(857.81±515.53) U/mL vs. (338.67±168.13) U/mL,P<0.001]. There was obvious correlation between the level of serum KL-6 with FVC%pred and DLCO%pred in the IPF group (r=-0.46,r=-0.58,P<0.05).
ConclusionsThe level of KL-6 in BALF and serum is elevated in patients with IPF. There is obvious correlation between the level of serum KL-6 with FVC%pred and DLCO%pred in IPF patients. KL-6 may be an indicator of IPF in clinical diagnose.
