title: Relationship between survival and age in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a debate that older patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have a worse prognosis. We evaluated whether age affects the survival of patients with IPF.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Korean Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Research Group conducted a national survey to evaluate the clinical, physiological, radiological, and survival characteristics of patients with IPF. A total of 1,663 patients with IPF were stratified into three groups according to age: (I) <60 years (n=309); (II) 60-69 years (n=613); and (III) ≥70 years (n=741).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 1-, 3- and 5-year observed survival rates were 83.0%, 62.6%, and 49.2% in the total population, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year relative survival rates were 85.7%, 69.1%, and 58.0% in all patients, respectively. The observed survival rate of the group ≥70 years of age was significantly lower than those of the other groups (P<0.001). In contrast, no significant difference in relative survival rate was detected among the three age groups. Compared with patients less than 60 years of age, patients with above 70 years of age had not increased risk of worse relative survival [P=0.252; hazard ratio (HR), 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.76-1.64].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prognosis of patients above 70 years of age with IPF was not different to that of patients less than 60 years of age, using relative survival rate. Age may not affect survival in patients with IPF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: So-My
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soo-Taek
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Uh
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Soon
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Lung Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Whan
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Man Pyo
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Respiratory Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Choon Sik
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Bum
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Lyeol
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal medicine, Chung Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Joo
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yangin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jegal
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care and Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Inje University Pusan Paik Hospital, Gimhae, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Allergy and Pulmonology, Department of Internal Medicine, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Moo Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hwangbo
keywords: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF); age factors; prognosis; relative survival; survival analysis