Clinical use of biomarkers of survival in pulmonary fibrosis.
BACKGROUND
Biologic predictors or biomarkers of survival in pulmonary fibrosis with a worse prognosis, more specifically in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis would help the clinician in deciding whether or not to treat since treatment carries a potential risk for adverse events. These decisions are made easier if accurate and objective measurements of the patients' clinical status can predict the risk of progression to death.


METHODS
A literature review is given on different biomarkers of survival in interstitial lung disease, mainly in IPF, since this disease has the worst prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum biomarkers, and markers measured by medical imaging as HRCT, pertechnegas, DTPA en FDG-PET are not ready for clinical use to predict mortality in different forms of ILD. A baseline FVC, a change of FVC of more than 10%, and change in 6MWD are clinically helpful predictors of survival.
Thomeer
Michiel
M
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ziekenhuis Oost-Limburg, Genk, Belgium. michiel@thomeer.org
Grutters
Jan C
JC
Wuyts
Wim A
WA
Willems
Stijn
S
Demedts
Maurits G
MG
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D015415:Biomarkers