Open AccessThe effects of pirfenidone in patients with an acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia
Author(s) -
Matsumura Takuma,
Tsushima Kenji,
Abe Mitsuhiro,
Suzuki Kenichi,
Yamagishi Kazutaka,
Matsumura Akane,
Ichimura Yasunori,
Ikari Jun,
Terada Jiro,
Tatsumi Koichiro
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the clinical respiratory journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.789
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1752-699X
pISSN - 1752-6981
DOI - 10.1111/crj.12704
Subject(s) - pirfenidone , medicine , exacerbation , idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis , white blood cell , interstitial lung disease , usual interstitial pneumonia , interstitial pneumonia , gastroenterology , surgery , lung
The prognosis of patients with an acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia (AE‐IP) is poor. Pirfenidone (PFD) reduces the disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Objectives The purpose of this study was evaluating whether the administration of PFD improved the outcomes of AE‐IP. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 31 patients with AE‐IP who did not recover between 7 and 14 days after an initial treatment. Fourteen patients received PFD within 2 weeks (PFD group) of the AE, while 17 patients were treated without PFD (non‐PFD group). The patients’ clinical data and computed tomography (CT) scores were analyzed. Results The survival rate in the PFD group was not significantly different from non‐PFD group at 30 (78.6% vs 64.7%, P = .46) and 90 days (64.3% vs 52.9%, P = .72). The white blood cell counts in the PFD group were significantly lower on PFD day 14 than on PFD days 1 and 7. The C‐reactive protein levels in the PFD group were also significantly lower on PFD day 7 than on PFD day 1. There were no significant differences regarding the changes of the CT scores. Conclusions PFD may reduce the inflammation in AE‐IP patients undergoing corticosteroid treatment.