title: Prognostic factors and causes of death in Korean patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors at initial presentation and the causes of death in Korean patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which might be different report wise, in comparison to the western countries. A retrospective review of 88 patients (mean 60.3 years, 69 male) was carried out and they were diagnosed as IPF positive. After diagnosis, the survival rate was 57% and 41% for third and fifth year, respectively (mean follow-up 39.1 months). Mortality was closely correlated with severe dyspnea at presentation (Hazard Ratio [HR], 2.6 per grade; p=0.015), lower initial forced vital capacity (HR, 1.7 per 10% predicted; p=0.004) and lower initial diffusing capacity of the lung (HR, 1.5 per 10% predicted; p=0.033). Treatment with specific drugs was ineffective against the survival when compared with symptomatic supportive care. Thirty-four patients (68%) died of worsened respiratory failure, seven (14%) died of infection and only one patient showed cardiovascular death. In conclusion, our study suggests that the severity of dyspnea and lung function tests at the time of diagnosis are the predictive factors for the survival of patients with IPF. In comparison to the reports from western countries, we observed that respiratory failure and pulmonary infection were more frequent causes of death, while cardiovascular death was rare in Korean patients with IPF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50 Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-ku, Seoul 135-710, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyeongman
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.forename: Man Pyo
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kyung Soo
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Myung Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Joungho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Won-Jung
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Gee Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Hojoong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: O Jung
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002423:Cause of Death; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000401:mortality*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies