title: Gender influences Health-Related Quality of Life in IPF.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HRQL in IPF patients is impaired. Data from other respiratory diseases led us to hypothesize that significant gender differences in HRQL in IPF also exist.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were drawn from the NIH-sponsored Lung Tissue Research Consortium (LTRC). Demographic and pulmonary physiology data along with MMRC, SF-12, and SGRQ scores from women vs. men were compared with two-sample t-tests. Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the association between SF-12 component scores and gender while adjusting for other relevant variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample consisted of 147 men and 74 women. Among several baseline variables, only DL(CO)% predicted differed between women and men, (43.7 vs. 38.0, p=0.03). In general, men exhibited lower (better) MMRC scores (1.7 vs. 2.4, p=0.02), particularly those with milder disease as measured by DL(CO)% predicted. In an adjusted analysis, SF-12 PCS scores in men were lower (worse) than women (p=0.01), an effect that was more pronounced in men with greater dyspnea scores. In a similar analysis, SF-12 MCS scores in women were lower than men (worse) (48.3 vs. 54.4, p=0.0004), an effect that was more pronounced in women with greater dyspnea scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant gender differences in HRQL exist in IPF. As compared to women, men reported less severe dyspnea, had worse SF-12 PCS scores, but better SF-12 MCS scores. Dyspnea appears to have a greater impact on the physical HRQL of men and the emotional HRQL of women. An improved understanding of the mechanism behind these differences is needed to better target interventions.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan Health System, Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Room 3916 Taubman Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5360, USA. mrking@umich.edu
authors.forename: MeiLan K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swigris
authors.forename: Lyrica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bartholmai
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giardino
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frederick
authors.forename: Daner
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Marvin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Limper
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flaherty
authors.forename: Fernando J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D004417:Dyspnea / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000523:psychology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome