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Abstract. Background:. The prognosis of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF) is very poor with a high mortality. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features and survival of patients with AE-IPF with usual pulmonary fibrosis (UIP) and possible UIP (P-UIP) pattern on chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Methods:. This retrospective study included 107 patients with AE-IPF admitted to Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2010 to December 2016. The subjects were divided into UIP (n = 86) and P-UIP group (n = 21) based on chest HRCT. Continuous variables were analyzed using Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Categorical variables were analyzed using χ2 test. Log-rank test was used for the survival analysis. Cox proportional models evaluated the risk factors for AE occurrence and survival. Results:. The male, older patients, previous N-acetylcysteine use, elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts, and microbiology infection were more common in the UIP group than the P-UIP group (χ2 = 13.567, P

Abstract. Backgrounds:. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is an immune-mediated interstitial lung disease (ILD) that develops in response to the inhalation of various antigens. The clinical pathologies are very complex and undetermined. The clinical features and outcomes of HP have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence, clinical features, and outcomes of HP patients and construct a simple clinical model for diagnosing chronic HP (CHP). Methods:. The cohort study included 101 patients with HP admitted to the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2009 to December 2017. The patients were categorized into acute HP (AHP, n = 72) and CHP (n = 29) groups according to the updated international criteria. The clinical, imaging, treatment, and follow-up data were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were followed up until December 31, 2017. Statistical analysis was performed, and a clinical scoring system for CHP was constructed by SPSS 20.0 software. Results:. The incidence of HP was 2.4% in ILD inpatients in our center. Patients in the CHP group were older (t = −2.212, P = 0.029), had more smokers (χ2 = 8.428, P = 0.004), and longer duration of symptoms (t = −4.852, P

Background: Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a unique pathological entity with intra-alveolar fibrin in the form of "fibrin balls" and organizing pneumonia. It was divided into rare idiopathic interstitial pneumonia according to the classification notified by American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society in 2013. As a rare pathological entity, it is still not well known and recognized by clinicians. We reviewed the clinical features of 20 patients with AFOP diagnosed in a teaching hospital. Methods: The medical records of 20 patients with biopsy-proven diagnosis of AFOP were retrospectively reviewed. The patients′ symptoms, duration of the disease, comorbidities, clinical laboratory data, pulmonary function testing, radiographic studies, and the response to treatment were extracted and analyzed. Results: Fever was the most common symptom and was manifested in 90% of AFOP patients. For clinical laboratory findings, systematic inflammatory indicators, including C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, were significantly higher than normal in AFOP patients. In accordance with this increased indicators, injured liver functions were common in AFOP patients. Inversely, AFOP patients had worse clinical conditions including anemia and hypoalbuminemia. For pulmonary function testing, AFOP patients showed the pattern of restrictive mixed with obstructive ventilation dysfunction. For high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) findings, the most common pattern for AFOP patients was lobar consolidation which was very similar to pneumonia. However, unlike pneumonia, AFOP patients responded well to glucocorticoids. Conclusion: Patients with AFOP manifest as acute inflammatory-like clinical laboratory parameters and lobar consolidation on HRCT, but respond well to steroid.

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.