Interferon gamma-1b therapy for advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
OBJECTIVE
To report on observations made in a group of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/usual interstitial pneumonia (IPF/UIP) who were treated with interferon gamma-1b.


METHODS
We reviewed the clinical records, radiological studies, and pulmonary function data of all patients treated with interferon gamma-1b between January 2000 and March 2002 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.


RESULTS
Twenty-one patients (mean age, 68 years; range, 52-80 years) were treated with interferon gamma-1b for a mean duration of 82 months (range, 3-21 months). All patients had been diagnosed previously as having IPF/UIP based on clinical, pulmonary function, and chest high-resolution computed tomographic scan criteria; 12 patients had also undergone video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical lung biopsy. Baseline pulmonary function data (mean +/- SEM percent predicted) were as follows: total lung capacity, 57.3 +/- 2.5; vital capacity, 55.0 +/- 3.3; diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide, 39.7 +/- 2.8; and forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 58.1 +/- 3.6. Only 1 patient showed symptomatic and functional improvement, and 7 discontinued treatment because of a perceived lack of benefit. Eleven patients (52%) died after a mean of 6.4 months of treatment, and follow-up pulmonary function data suggested continued worsening in all but 1 patient.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations do not support the use of interferon gamma-lb therapy for patients with advanced IPF/UIP.
Kalra
Sanjay
S
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. 55905, USA. kalra.sanjay@mayo.edu
Utz
James P
JP
Ryu
Jay H
JH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014109:Total Lung Capacity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma