Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40841633›Full record

ArticleBMC pulmonary medicine2025

Comparing survival outcomes of anti-fibrotic therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with and without emphysema: a multi-center real-world study from Taiwan.

Yu-Hung Fang, Yi-An Hsieh, Yen-Fu Chen, Yu-Chi Chiu, Yu-Ching Lin, Kuo-Tung Huang, Yung-Chia Huang, Yu-Feng Wei, Chien-Wen Huang, Pin-Kuei Fu and 1 more

Erratum issuedAbstract readMulticenter StudyComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pulmonary medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yu-Hung Fang *Division of Thoracic Oncology, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Chiayi Branch, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Yi-An Hsieh *Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Asia University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Yen-Fu ChenDepartment of Internal Medicine, Yun-Lin Branch, National Taiwan University Hospital, Douliu, Taiwan.
Yu-Chi ChiuDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu-Ching LinDivision of Thoracic Oncology, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Chiayi Branch, Chiayi, Taiwan.
Kuo-Tung HuangCollege of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yung-Chia HuangDepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, Taoyuan General Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu-Feng Wei *Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chien-Wen Huang *Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Asia University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
Pin-Kuei Fu *Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650 Taiwan Boulevard Sect. 4, Taichung, 407219, Taiwan. yetquen@gmail.com.
Taiwan Multi-Centre Interstitial Lung Disease Research Consortium

Funding

Department of Medical Research of Taichung Veterans General Hospital TCVGH-1137308C; TCVGH-1123104D; TCVGH-1128303D; TCVGH-1137308DNational Science and Technology Council NSTC 112-2314-B-075A-003 -MY3
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWhether the long-term survival of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is worse than that of patients with IPF combined with emphysema after anti-fibrotic therapy is unclear. This study aimed to compare treatment outcomes between the two groups and identify potential predictors of mortality.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted in seven hospitals across Taiwan between August 2015 and August 2022 and included patients with IPF who received anti-fibrotic agents covered by national insurance. Based on the extent of emphysema observed on high-resolution chest tomography, patients with IPF were categorized into two groups: IPF only; and IPF with emphysema. Baseline characteristics and survival outcomes were compared between the groups. Cox proportional hazards models were used for multivariable analysis to identify factors associated with overall mortality during the follow-up period.

resultsOf the 275 patients included, 126 (45.8%) had IPF with emphysema and 149 (54.2%) had IPF only. The emphysema group had a higher proportion of males and patients with a smoking history, finger clubbing, comorbidities, or a definite usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern compared to the IPF-only group. Additionally, this group had a higher forced vital capacity (FVC, %) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁, L), while FEV₁ (%) was similar and FEV₁/FVC (%) was lower. During a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the overall survival rates were comparable (IPF only: 45.6%; IPF with emphysema: 48.4%). The overall survival of patients with probable UIP was significantly better than that of patients with definite UIP (53.5% vs. 34.6%). Likewise, the survival rate of the group with a diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) > 49% was higher than that of the group with DLCO ≤ 49% (53.9% vs. 31.4%). After adjusting for confounders, lower body mass index (BMI) (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.95) and comorbid pulmonary hypertension (aHR = 2.27) were independently associated with increased overall mortality. Neither the presence of emphysema nor the type of anti-fibrotic agent was associated with mortality.

conclusionsThe survival outcomes of patients with IPF and emphysema and those of patients with IPF only are comparable after treatment with anti-fibrotic agents. Lower BMI and comorbid pulmonary hypertension are significant predictors of increased mortality.

Indexed as

Antifibrotic AgentsIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisPulmonary EmphysemaAgedFemaleForced Expiratory VolumeHumansMaleMiddle AgedProportional Hazards ModelsRetrospective StudiesTaiwanTomography, X-Ray ComputedTreatment OutcomeVital CapacityAntifibrotic AgentsAnti-fibrotic TherapyEmphysemaIdiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)Pulmonary HypertensionSurvival Outcomes

Identifiers

PMID40841633
PMCPMC12369227

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.