RESUMO
Objective:To examine the association between baseline serum albumin level and short-term, long-term outcomes in patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD).Methods:A total of 259 patients with SSc-ILD who were hospitalized in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2008 to December 2018 were enrolled. The data of serum albumin, demographic characteristics, peripheral blood hemoglobin at admission, and treatment plan were obtained from the hospital information management system, and the survival of the patients were followed up to June 1, 2019. The mean baseline serum albumin of 259 patients was 37.67 g/L, there were 118 patients with serum albumin ≤37.67 g/L (low protein group) and 141 patients with serum albumin>37.67 g/L (high protein group).Results:There were 64 males and 195 females with a mean age of 50.0(41.0, 61.0) years. The follow-up time was 627(61, 1 426) days. Compared to high protein group, the low protein group had higher proportion of male patients [30.5%(36/118) and 19.9%(28/141),χ 2=3.92, P=0.048], and higher levels of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate [45.0(27.0,69.0) vs. 29.0 (19.0,46.0)mm/1 h,χ 2=4.07, P<0.001], neutrophil percentage [71.50(63.35,77.13) vs. 65.60(59.50,72.50)%,χ 2=3.65, P<0.001], platelet [196(140,273) vs. 172(126,240)×10 9/L,χ 2=1.99, P=0.046], nutrophil/lymphocyte ratio [33.85(2.53,5.28) vs. 2.61(1.97,3.83),χ 2=4.57, P<0.001], platelet/lymphocyte ratio [149.0(112.0,216.8) vs. 113.5(72.76,158.8),χ 2=4.98, P<0.001], aspartate aminotransferase [27.0(21.0,39.0) vs. 23.0 (19.5,30.0) IU/L,χ 2=2.93, P=0.003], globulin [31.20(26.90,36.83) vs. 29.50(25.65,32.80) g/L,χ 2=2.28, P=0.023], serum cystatin C[1.14(0.98,1.33) vs. 1.02(0.88,1.16) mg/L,χ 2=3.80, P<0.001], IgA[2 710 (1 965,3 505) vs. 2 460 (1 862,3 105) mg/L,χ 2=2.13, P=0.033], IgG[15.05(12.83,21.08) vs. 13.60(11.53,17.23)g/L,χ 2=3.24, P=0.001], IgE[60.44(24.92,197.99) vs. 34.82(14.72,85.04) kIU/L,χ 2=3.33, P=0.001] and circulating immune complex [0.13(0.08,0.19) vs. 0.10(0.08,0.13)O.D,χ 2=2.60, P=0.009]; and lower levels of hemoglobin [121.5(101.8,132.0) vs. 129.0(119.0,142.0) g/L,χ 2=5.05, P<0.001], albumin [(33.28±3.49) vs.(41.34±2.95) g/L,χ 2=20.17, P<0.001] and IgM[1 320 (932,1 745) vs.1 560(1 170,2 030) mg/L, χ 2=2.63, P=0.009]. The utilization rate of antibiotics was higher in the low protein group (60 vs. 43 cases, χ 2=11.10, P=0.001). The number of patients followed up to 1, 5, and 10 years were 248, 245, and 244, respectively. The 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year cumulative survival rates of patients in low protein group and high protein group were(91.0% vs. 98.4%, χ 2=6.23, P=0.013;87.0% vs. 97.1%, χ 2=6.15, P=0.013; 81.6% vs. 97.1%, χ 2=7.00, P=0.008) respectively. Conclusions:Patients with scleroderma-associated interstitial lung disease have an increased risk of poorer prognosis when serum albumin ≤37.67 g/L.