Lung function in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis--extended analyses of the IFIGENIA trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The randomized placebo-controlled IFIGENIA-trial demonstrated that therapy with high-dose N-acetylcysteine (NAC) given for one year, added to prednisone and azathioprine, significantly ameliorates (i.e. slows down) disease progression in terms of vital capacity (VC) (+9%) and diffusing capacity (DLco) (+24%) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). To better understand the clinical implications of these findings we performed additional, explorative analyses of the IFGENIA data set.

Methods

We analysed effects of NAC on VC, DLco, a composite physiologic index (CPI), and mortality in the 155 study-patients.

Results

In trial completers the functional indices did not change significantly with NAC, whereas most indices deteriorated with placebo; in non-completers

SUBMITTER: Behr J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2774307 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature