Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) can combine with emphysema, a condition termed as IPF with emphysema (IPFE). We compared the clinical, radiologic, and physiologic features of IPF and IPFE.
Research design and methods: Newly diagnosed IPF and IPFE patients were recruited between January 2018 and September 2020. Symptoms, high resolution computed tomography (HRCT), pulmonary function test (PFT) data, composite physiologic index (CPI), gender-age-physiology (GAP) scores, and follow-up data were obtained.
Results: The IPFE group had greater proportion of male smokers, and of lung cancer cases. The IPFE group had higher VC, FVC FEV1, and lower FEV1/FVC and DLCO and lower percent fibrosis on HRCT. Both groups had similar symptoms and mortality. Mortality rate was associated with inability to perform PFT, CPI, GAP scores, percent fibrosis, VC, FVC, FEV1, and DLCO, serum SCC-Ag and CA125, and anti-fibrotic therapy (≥12 months) in IPF, while it was associated with inability to perform PFT, CPI, percent fibrosis, DLCO, serum CEA, CYFRA21-1 and CA125, and anti-fibrotic therapy (≥12 months) in IPFE.
Conclusion: IPF and IPFE patients are different in smoking history, physiologic indices, HRCT patterns and prognostic factors, however, they have similar mortality. Anti-fibrotic therapy could improve the survival rate in both IPF and IPFE.
Keywords: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; clinical features; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with emphysema; mortality; pulmonary function; radiological pattern.