J Korean Med Sci.  2012 Jun;27(6):661-667. 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.6.661.

Treatment Response and Long Term Follow-up Results of Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia

• Lee JY
• Jin SM
• Lee BJ
• Chung DH
• Jang BG
• Park HS
• Lee SM
• Yim JJ
• Yang SC
• Yoo CG
• Han SK
• Shim YS
• Kim YW

• KMID: 1421619
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2012.27.6.661

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term clinical course of non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and to determine which factors are associated with a response to steroid therapy and relapse. Thirty-five patients with pathologically proven NSIP were included. Clinical, radiological, and laboratory data were reviewed retrospectively. The male-to-female ratio was 7:28 (median age, 52 yr). Thirty (86%) patients responded to steroid therapy, and the median follow-up was 55.2 months (range, 15.9-102.0 months). Five patients (14%) showed sustained disease progression and three died despite treatment. In the five with sustained disease progression, NSIP was associated with various systemic conditions, and the seropositivity of fluorescent antinuclear antibody was significantly associated with a poor response to steroids (P = 0.028). The rate of relapse was 25%, but all relapsed patients improved after re-treatment. The initial dose of steroids was significantly low in the relapse group (P = 0.020). In conclusion, progression is associated with various systemic conditions in patients who show progression. A low dose of initial steroids is significantly associated with relapse.

Keyword

Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias; Lung Diseases, Interstitial; Pulmonary Fibrosis; Disease Progression; Mortality; Prednisolone; Prognosis; Recurrence; Steroids; Drug Therapy

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Antibodies, Antinuclear/blood
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias/drug therapy/pathology
Lung Diseases, Interstitial/*drug therapy/mortality/pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Prognosis
Recurrence
Retrospective Studies
Steroids/*therapeutic use
Antibodies, Antinuclear
Steroids

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Clinical courses of the patients with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP).

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