Effect of pirfenidone on lung function decline and survival: 5-yr experience from a real-life IPF cohort from the Czech EMPIRE registry.

INTRODUCTION: Pirfenidone, an antifibrotic drug, slows-down the disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) over 12 months, however limited data on the decline of lung function and overall survival (OS) in real-world cohorts on longer follow-up exists. PATIENTS/METHODS: Of the enrolled Czech IPF patients (n = 841) from an EMPIRE registry, 383 (45.5%) received pirfenidone, 218 (25.9%) no-antifibrotic treatment and 240 (28.5%) were excluded (missing data, nintedanib treatment). The 2- and 5-yrs OS and forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were investigated at treatment initiation and 6, 12, 18 and 24 months' follow-up. RESULTS: During a 2-yr follow-up, less than a quarter of the patients progressed on pirfenidone as assessed by the decline of ≥10% FVC (17.0%) and ≥ 15% DLCO (14.3%). On pirfenidone, the DLCO (≥10%) declines at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months' and DLCO (≥15%) declines at 6, 18 and 24 months' follow-up were associated with increased mortality. The DLCO decline showed higher predictive value for mortality than FVC decline. In patients with no-antifibrotics, FVC and DLCO declines were not predictive for mortality. Pirfenidone increased 5-yrs OS over no-antifibrotic treatment (55.9% vs 31.5% alive, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Our study observed the 2-yrs sustained effect of pirfenidone on the decline of lung function and survival in the real-world patient's IPF cohort. DLCO decline of ≥10% shows a potential as a mortality predictor in IPF patients on pirfenidone, and should be routinely evaluated during follow-up examinations.

EMPIRE Registry, Czech Part: Impact of demographics, pulmonary function and HRCT on survival and clinical course in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Prognostic factors of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) currently recognized include changes in vital capacity and radiologic findings. However, most of the prognostic studies in IPF are based on clinical studies with preselected IPF populations. Therefore, we decided to analyze the factors influencing IPF prognosis based on the real-practice data from our IPF registry. METHODS: Data of 514 subjects consecutively entered since 2012 into Czech EMPIRE IPF registry were analyzed. RESULTS: Median age of our patient cohort was 67 years (50-82). Median overall survival (OS) of the cohort was 63.1 months. The clinical course of IPF according to FVC (forced vital capacity) changes was stabilized in 32.8% of patients (29.7% according to DLCO [diffuse lung capacity] changes), slowly progressive in 39.5% (45%), rapidly progressive in 23.5% (20.7%); and 1.7% patients had at least one acute exacerbation during follow-up. Deterioration in FVC of ≥10% at month 12 and in DLCO of ≥15% at months 12, 18, and 24 influenced the OS significantly. The fast progressors defined by the DLCO decline rate had higher risk of death compared to those defined by the FVC change over time. In multivariate analysis, age ≥70 years, interstitial HRCT scores ≥3, and change in DLCO of ≥15% at month 12 were confirmed as factors negatively influencing OS. CONCLUSIONS: DLCO changes over time were shown as a better predictor of mortality compared with FVC changes in our study. In our opinion it is necessary to implement the DLCO analysis into clinical trials and routine practice.

[Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis prognostic factors - analysis of the Czech registry]. / Prognostické faktory idiopatické plicní fibrózy (IPF) - analýza Ceského registru IPF.

UNLABELLED: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare, progressive and usually fatal form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. IPF is characterized by failure of alveolar re-epithelization, persistence of fibroblasts, deposition of extracellular matrix, and distortion of lung architecture, which ultimately results in respiratory failure.We analysed 202 consecutive patients with IPF diagnosed at the Departments of Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis in the Czech Republic, who they were included in the nationwide Czech IPF registry. Our aim was to determine prognostic factors of IPF and outcome of the disease.There were 129 males and 73 females who were the median age 67 years. IPF was biopsy-proven in 66 (33 %) of patients. Median time from the first symptom to diagnosis was 12 months. Diagnosis was made in 57 patients (28.3 %) within 6 months from the onset of respiratory symptoms. 8 (4 %) patients had an acute exacerbation during the course of the disease.In uniparametric (univariate) analysis as prognostic factors associated with poorer survival were found: higher age, higher degree dyspnea scores, clubbing fingers, comorbidities (arterial hypertension, osteoporosis), patients without histology biopsy, and bronchoalveolar increased neutrophil count. We found these positive prognostic factors: higher levels of VC (vital capacity), TLC (total lung capacity) and DLCO (diffusing capacity for carbon monooxide).In multiparametric (multivariate) analysis as prognostic factors associated with mortality were found: higher age, higher degree of dyspnoe score. Increased lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar fluid, higher level of VC a DLCO were associated with better survival. There was no difference in survival of patients by sex, by smoking status. No significant difference in survival rates was found between IPF with and without emphysema, between the extent of fibrosis on HRCT (high resolution computed tomography) of thorax and mortality. Median survival was 51.6 months. 58 (28.7 %) patients died. The most frequent reason of dead was IPF progression with respiratory failure. KEY WORDS: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; prognosis; treatment.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to support repeated whole-lung lavage in a patient with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in life threatening dyspnoe--a case report.

BACKGROUD: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare disorder that is characterized by a large accumulation of lipoproteinaceous material within the alveoli. This causes respiratory failure due to a restriction of gas exchange and changes in the ventilation/perfusion ratio. Clinical symptoms are variable and depend on the severity of damage of the lung parenchyma. Treatment method is whole-lung lavage, where the accumulated lipoproteinaceous material is removed using large quantities of saline. CASE PRESENTATION: This case report describes a 45 year old patient with advanced pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Due to the presence of severe global respiratory insufficiency, this patient could not undergo the classic whole-lung lavage using a double-lumen tube and selective lung ventilation. The whole-lung lavage was performed with the support of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. A total of 27 l of warm saline was used. CONCLUSION: According to the current published literature, whole-lung lavage with extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation support is a very rare treatment method. Even when taking into account all of the risks associated with whole-lung lavage and v-v extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, we found that this technique is very effective and, without a doubt, it saved the life of our patient.

Lung cancer, pulmonary emphysema and pleural effusion: An autopsy study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the exact incidence of lung cancer, pulmonary emphysema and pleural effusion we decided to carry out an autopsy study. METHODS: In this autopsy study carried out over two years, we compared the results of autopsy findings with the clinical data in accompanying records of the deceased. RESULTS: Among the 708 deceased subjects, there were 398 males and 310 females with a median age of 71 years. At autopsy, 55 cases of lung carcinoma (BCA) were found, of which 24 have not been identified during life (44%). Among the deceased with BCA, emphysema was also observed at autopsy in 40% of the cases. Pulmonary emphysema was described macroscopically in 28% of the full set of 708 deceased, whereas the accompanying records of the deceased described this condition in only 12% of the cases. Microscopic changes compatible with emphysema were identified in 54% of the examined lungs. Pleural effusions were described in the accompanying records of 13% of the deceased, while the autopsies showed this condition in 33% of the deceased. BCA was accompanied by effusion in 25% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results show that the studied conditions are present in more cases than are reported by clinicians. The study confirms the commonly accepted association between lung cancer and emphysema.

Loss of heterozygosity and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in bronchial mucosa of heavy smokers.

BACKGROUND: Lung carcinogenesis is a multistep process of accumulation of genetic changes, including loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and precedes phenotypic transformation of the bronchial mucosa. The activity of telomerase, correlating with the hTERT mRNA expression, is detectable in a majority of neoplasms. In this study, the frequency of LOH and hTERT expression in bronchial mucosa of heavy smokers in bronchoscopic biopsies was analyzed. METHODS: LOH was examined in 122 bronchial specimens from 81 smokers (67 normal mucosa/bronchitis, 12 squamous metaplasia, 28 dysplasia, 15 bronchogenic carcinoma specimens) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and capillary electrophoresis by using 7 fluorescence-labeled markers matching 5 chromosomal regions. hTERT expression was analyzed in 87 specimens (45 normal mucosa/bronchitis, 12 squamous metaplasia, 18 dysplasia, 12 bronchogenic carcinoma specimens) by real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR. RESULTS: LOH was detected in at least 1 chromosomal region in 51 of 122 (41.8%) specimens; the incidence in normal bronchial mucosa and preneoplastic lesions was similar (20%-40%); a substantial rise (87%) occurred in carcinomas. The median normalized hTERT(N) values were 6.67 in normal epithelium/chronic bronchitis, 18.38 in squamous metaplasia, 13.31 in epithelial dysplasia, and 75.46 in carcinomas. These results were significantly different (P=.0036). With an increasing number of LOH, the median value of hTERT(N) expression rose, but hTERT was expressed also in tissue samples without any LOH detection. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that hTERT expression, together with LOH, represent early events in lung carcinogenesis, as both were detected in precancerous lesions and in normal epithelium of heavy smokers.