Ongoing antifibrotic treatment improves long-term survival after IPF respiratory-related hospitalizations

Although treatment with antifibrotic medications did not seem to improve 30-day mortality after respiratory-related hospitalizations in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, continuing antifibrotic treatment after hospital discharge was associated with improved long-term survival, according to a study.

Researchers created a one-to-one propensity score matched cohort of patients with IPF who underwent respiratory-related hospitalization and were treated or untreated with an antifibrotic.

The use of antifibrotics did not appear to change mechanical ventilation utilization or ICU treatment during admission; it was also not observed to impact mortality at 30-days.

During the 2-year follow-up period, patients who survived hospitalization and were treated with antifibrotics had a mortality rate of 20.1% compared to 47.8% in patients not treated with antifibrotics.

Reference
Kelly BT, Thao V, Dempsey TM, et al. Outcomes for hospitalized patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis treated with antifibrotic medications. BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21(1):239. doi: 10.1186/s12890-021-01607-2. PMID: 34273943.