Characteristics | Present cases | Literature data * | |
---|---|---|---|
 | At start of steroid therapy | At the diagnosis | At the diagnosis |
Subjects n (range) | 31 | 29 # | 223 |
Age, median yrs | 66 (9-82) | 64 (9-82) | 50 (9-89) |
Gender n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Males | 17 (55) | 16 (55) | 151 (68) |
 Females | 14 (45) | 13 (45) | 72 (32) |
Clinical symptoms n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Asymptomatic | 9 (29) | 5 (17) | 70 (32) |
 Symptomatic | 22 (71) | 24 (83) | 150 (68) |
 Dyspnea | 12 (39) | 21 (72) | 119 (79) |
 Cough | 14 (45) | 12 (41) | 51 (34) |
 Sputum | 1 (3) | 1 (3) | 8 (5) |
 Other | 4 (13) | 4 (14) | 9 (6) |
Smoking habits n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Never-smoker | 16 (52) | 15 (52) | 93 (43) |
 Current or ex-smoker | 15 (48) | 14 (48) | 124 (57) |
Dust exposure n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 Yes | 8 (26) | 7 (24) | 52 (26) |
 No | 23 (74) | 22 (76) | 147 (74) |
Complications n (%) | Â | Â | Â |
 None | 5 (16) | 5 (17) | 137 (65) |
 Hypertension | 11 (35) | 11 (38) | 18 (9) |
 Infection | 0 (0) | 5 (17) | 12 (6) |
 Hyperlipidemia | 7 (22) | 7 (24) | 9 (4) |
 Diabetes mellitus | 5 (16) | 8 (28) | 8 (4) |
 Autoimmune disorders | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (1) |
 Pulmonary fibrosis | 2 (6) | 1 (3) | 3 (1) |