Project description:BackgroundThe circulating metabolome, reflecting underlying cellular processes and disease biology, has not been fully characterized in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We evaluated whether circulating levels of metabolites correlate with the presence of IPF, with the severity of IPF, or with the risk of clinically relevant outcomes among patients with IPF.MethodsWe analyzed enrollment plasma samples from 300 patients with IPF in the IPF-PRO Registry and 100 individuals without known lung disease using a set of targeted metabolomics and clinical analyte modules. Linear regression was used to compare metabolite and clinical analyte levels between patients with IPF and controls and to determine associations between metabolite levels and measures of disease severity in patients with IPF. Unadjusted and adjusted univariable Cox regression models were used to evaluate associations between circulating metabolites and the risk of mortality or disease progression among patients with IPF.ResultsLevels of 64 metabolites and 5 clinical analytes were significantly different between patients with IPF and controls. Among analytes with greatest differences were non-esterified fatty acids, multiple long-chain acylcarnitines, and select ceramides, levels of which were higher among patients with IPF versus controls. Levels of the branched-chain amino acids valine and leucine/isoleucine were inversely correlated with measures of disease severity. After adjusting for clinical factors known to influence outcomes, higher levels of the acylcarnitine C:16-OH/C:14-DC were associated with all-cause mortality, lower levels of the acylcarnitine C16:1-OH/C14:1DC were associated with all-cause mortality, respiratory death, and respiratory death or lung transplant, and higher levels of the sphingomyelin d43:2 were associated with the risk of respiratory death or lung transplantation.ConclusionsIPF has a distinct circulating metabolic profile characterized by increased levels of non-esterified fatty acids, long-chain acylcarnitines, and ceramides, which may suggest a more catabolic environment that enhances lipid mobilization and metabolism. We identified select metabolites that were highly correlated with measures of disease severity or the risk of disease progression and that may be developed further as biomarkers.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov; No: NCT01915511; URL: www.Clinicaltrialsgov .
Project description:Rationale: Progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is accompanied by worsening of symptoms, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life. However, the utility of patient-reported outcomes as predictors of mortality remains uncertain.Objectives: To assess whether patient-reported outcomes are independently associated with mortality beyond clinical risk factors in patients with IPF.Methods: Data from the observational IPF Prospective Outcomes Registry were used to examine associations between patient-reported outcomes at enrollment and the composite outcome of death or lung transplant in the following year. Associations were examined using univariable models and models adjusted for age and clinical variables that have been associated with death or lung transplant in patients with IPF in this cohort (oxygen use, forced vital capacity % predicted, and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide % predicted at enrollment).Results: Among 662 patients, 45 died and 12 underwent lung transplant over 1 year. In the model adjusted for age and clinical variables that were associated with death or lung transplant, worse scores on the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) total score (hazard ratio [HR], 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.48] per 10-point increase), SGRQ activity score (HR, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.02-1.54] per 10-point increase) and SGRQ symptoms score (HR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.01-1.36] per 10-point increase) were associated with death or lung transplant over 1 year.Conclusions: Patient-reported outcomes that assess symptoms and physical activity are independently associated with mortality in patients with IPF.
Project description:BackgroundUnraveling the genetic background in a significant proportion of patients with both sporadic and familial IPF provided new insights into the pathogenic pathways of pulmonary fibrosis.AimThe aim of the present study is to overview the clinical significance of genetics in IPF.PerspectiveIt is fascinating to realize the so-far underestimated but dynamically increasing impact that genetics has on aspects related to the pathophysiology, accurate and early diagnosis, and treatment and prevention of this devastating disease. Genetics in IPF have contributed as no other in unchaining the disease from the dogma of a "a sporadic entity of the elderly, limited to the lungs" and allowed all scientists, but mostly clinicians, all over the world to consider its many aspects and "faces" in all age groups, including its co-existence with several extra pulmonary conditions from cutaneous albinism to bone-marrow and liver failure.ConclusionBy providing additional evidence for unsuspected characteristics such as immunodeficiency, impaired mucus, and surfactant and telomere maintenance that very often co-exist through the interaction of common and rare genetic variants in the same patient, genetics have created a generous and pluralistic yet unifying platform that could lead to the understanding of the injurious and pro-fibrotic effects of many seemingly unrelated extrinsic and intrinsic offending factors. The same platform constantly instructs us about our limitations as well as about the heritability, the knowledge and the wisdom that is still missing.
Project description:Rationale: Two antifibrotic medications, nintedanib and pirfenidone, have been approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in the United States. Few data have been published on the use of these medications in clinical practice.Objectives: To investigate patterns of use of antifibrotic medications in the United States.Methods: The Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Prospective Outcomes (IPF-PRO) Registry, a multicenter U.S. registry, has enrolled patients with IPF that was diagnosed or confirmed at the enrolling center in the past 6 months. Data from patients enrolled from June 5, 2014, to March 4, 2018, were used to determine antifibrotic medication use ("treatment") in the enrollment window and in a follow-up window approximately 6 months later. Associations between patient characteristics and treatment status were tested using logistic regression.Results: Overall, 551 of 782 eligible patients (70.5%) were treated in the enrollment window. Younger age, lower forced vital capacity percentage predicted, oxygen use with activity, worse self-rated health (based on the Short Form 12 or St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire score), referral to the enrolling center by a pulmonologist, use of a lung biopsy in diagnosis, and carrying a diagnosis of IPF to the enrolling center were associated with being treated. Among 534 patients treated at enrollment who had follow-up data, 94.0% remained treated in follow-up. Better self-rated health (based on the Short Form 12 mental component score or EuroQoL score) and not using oxygen with activity at enrollment were associated with continuing treatment in follow-up. Among 172 patients who were untreated at enrollment and had follow-up data, 29.7% started treatment in follow-up. Lower diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide percentage predicted, a family history of interstitial lung disease, a history of sleep apnea, and a definite diagnosis of IPF at enrollment were associated with starting treatment in follow-up.Conclusions: The majority of patients in the IPF-PRO Registry were receiving an approved medication for IPF at enrollment. Treatment at enrollment was associated with greater disease severity, more compromised quality of life, and the use of oxygen with activity.Clinical trial registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01915511).
Project description:IntroductionIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and lethal lung disease characterised by a fibrotic histological pattern found in usual interstitial pneumonia. Its causes, pathogenesis, clinical phenotype and molecular mechanisms are poorly defined. Large-scale, multicentre studies are warranted to better understand IPF as a disease in China, its associated risk factors, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, disease progression and treatment.Methods and analysisThe Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Registry China Study (PORTRAY) is a prospective, multicentre registry study of patients with IPF in China. Eight hundred patients will be enrolled over a 36-month period and followed for at least 3 years to generate a comprehensive database on baseline characteristics and various follow-up parameters including patient-reported outcomes. Biological specimens will also be collected from patients to develop a library of blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung biopsy samples, to support future research. As of 15 December 2019, 204 patients from 19 large medical centres with relatively high IPF diagnosis and treatment rates had been enrolled. Patient characteristics will be presented using descriptive statistics. The Kaplan-Meier method will be used for survival analyses. Repeated measures will be used to compare longitudinal changes in lung function, imaging and laboratory tests. Results following analysis have been projected to be available by July 2025.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board from all the study sites currently recruiting patients. Study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberNCT03666234.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an untreatable fibrotic lung disease characterized by fibroblast proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition. The expression and role of microRNAs (miRNA) has not been studied in IPF. Using miRNA expression microarrays we identified 46 differentially expressed miRNA in IPF lungs which included let-7d and the miR-30 family. Keywords: miRNA expression Lung tissue samples for microarray analysis were obtained through the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Tissue Bank. Ten samples were obtained from surgical remnants of biopsies or lungs explanted from patients with IPF who underwent pulmonary transplant, and ten control normal lung tissues obtained from the disease free margins with normal histology of lung cancer resection specimens. The morphologic diagnosis of IPF was based on typical microscopic findings consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia. Total RNA was labeled with Cy3 and hybridized on Agilent 8X15K microRNA array (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA). After 20 hours hybridization, arrays were washed and scanned according to the manufacturerâs protocol.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an untreatable fibrotic lung disease characterized by fibroblast proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition. Using miRNA expression microarrays we identified 96 differentially expressed miRNA in IPF lungs which included let-7d, miR-30 family, miR-29 family and miR-154 family. Lung tissue samples for microarray analysis were obtained through the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences Tissue Bank. 13 samples were obtained from surgical remnants of biopsies or lungs explanted from patients with IPF who underwent pulmonary transplant, and 12 control normal lung tissues obtained from the disease free margins with normal histology of lung cancer resection specimens. The morphologic diagnosis of IPF was based on typical microscopic findings consistent with usual interstitial pneumonia. Total RNA was labeled with Cy3 and hybridized on Agilent 8X15K microRNA array (Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA). After 20 hours hybridization, arrays were washed and scanned according to the manufacturer’s protocol.
Project description:Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an untreatable fibrotic lung disease characterized by fibroblast proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition. The expression and role of microRNAs (miRNA) has not been studied in IPF. Using miRNA expression microarrays we identified 46 differentially expressed miRNA in IPF lungs which included let-7d and the miR-30 family. Keywords: miRNA expression