Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of combined pirfenidone and N-acetylcysteine therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:While antifibrotic drugs significantly decrease lung function decline in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), there is still an unmet need to halt disease progression. Antioxidative therapy with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is considered a potential additional therapy that can be combined with antifibrotics in some patients in clinical practice. However, data on the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of this combination are scarce. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to appraise the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the combination compared to treatment with pirfenidone alone. METHODS:We systematically reviewed all the published studies with combined pirfenidone (PFD) and NAC (PFD?+?NAC) treatment in IPF patients. The primary outcomes referred to decline in pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and the rates of IPF patients with side effects. RESULTS:In the meta-analysis, 6 studies with 319 total IPF patients were included. The PFD?+?NAC group was comparable to the PFD alone group in terms of the predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%) and predicted diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco%) from treatment start to week 24. Side effects and treatment discontinuation rates were also comparable in both groups. CONCLUSION:This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that combination with NAC does not alter the efficacy, safety, or tolerability of PFD in comparison to PFD alone in IPF patients.
SUBMITTER: Shi H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7204217 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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