Differences in Baseline Characteristics and Access to Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Patients With IPF in the EMPIRE Countries.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a rare lung disease with poor prognosis. The diagnosis and treatment possibilities are dependent on the health systems of countries. Hence, comparison among countries is difficult due to data heterogeneity.

Autoimmune Progressive Fibrosing Interstitial Lung Disease: Predictors of Fast Decline.

A subset of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) with autoimmune traits-including connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD) and interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF)-develops progressive fibrosing (PF)-ILD. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and predictors of longitudinal lung function (LF) changes in autoimmune PF-ILD patients in a real-world setting. All ILD cases with confirmed or suspected autoimmunity discussed by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) between January 2017 and June 2019 ( = 511) were reviewed, including 63 CTD-ILD and 44 IPAF patients.

Anticoagulant Use and Bleeding Risk in Central European Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) Treated with Antifibrotic Therapy: Real-World Data from EMPIRE.

Introduction: Nintedanib, a tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, may be associated with increased bleeding risk. Thus, patients with an inherited predisposition to bleeding, or those receiving therapeutic doses of anticoagulants or high-dose antiplatelet therapy, have been excluded from clinical trials of nintedanib in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Objective: Our objective was to examine real-world bleeding events in patients with IPF treated with antifibrotics, including those receiving anticoagulants and/or antiplatelet therapy.

Worse lung cancer outcome in patients with lower respiratory tract infection confirmed at time of diagnosis.

Background: Pulmonary malignancy is one of the most frequent and fatal cancers in older patients. As data on lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and the outcome of lung cancer are scarce, our objective was to determine the impact of LRTI on therapeutic possibilities and one-year mortality.

Methods: Patients undergoing bronchoscopy in 2017 who had bronchial microbial sampling at the time of the lung cancer diagnosis (n = 143) were included.

Lung Function Changes are More Common in Marfan Patients Who Need Major Thoracic Surgery.

Introduction: Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder affecting the connective tissue. Changes in lung tissue might influence respiratory function; however, a detailed respiratory functional assessment according to the need for major thoracic surgery is missing.

Methods: Comprehensive pulmonary examinations were performed in 55 Marfan patients including respiratory symptoms, lung function (LF) testing using European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) reference values, TL and quality of life measurements.