Table 2 Comparison of baseline characteristics between patients with and without acute exacerbation
Factor | Group | Non-AE | AE (+) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|  | (n = 79) | (n = 21) |  | |
Age | y | 69 [65, 74] | 66 [63, 68] | 0.034 |
Age > 65 (%) | < 65 | 18 (22.8) | 9 (42.9) | 0.095 |
|  | ≥65 | 61 (77.2) | 12 (57.1) |  |
Sex (%) | Female | 23 (29.1) | 2 (9.5) | 0.089 |
| Â | Male | 56 (70.9) | 19 (90.5) | Â |
Smoking history (%) | Yes | 55 (69.6) | 14 (66.7) | 0.79 |
Clinical diagnosis upon staring antifibrotic agent | IPF | 60 (75.9) | 15 (71.4) | 0.78 |
| Â | others | 19 (24.1) | 6 (28.6) | Â |
SLB (%) | Yes | 19 (24.1) | 10 (47.6) | 0.06 |
Commodity. Index | Â | 1 [1, 1] | 1 [1, 1] | 0.32 |
TTE RVSP (%) | ≥40 mmHg | 19 (24.1) | 10 (47.6) | 0.06 |
FVC % predicted | Â | 75.5 [61.0, 83.4] | 62.6 [52.6, 76.1] | 0.03 |
FVC % predicted | < 70 | 34 (43.0) | 14 (66.7) | 0.08 |
DLCO % predicted | Â | 56.3 [48.9, 68.7] | 44.80 [32.40, 64.30] | 0.02 |
DLCO % predicted | < 55 | 32 (40.5) | 13 (61.9) | 0.09 |
ILD-GAP score | Â | 3 [2, 4] | 4 [3, 5] | 0.03 |
ILD-GAP score | 0–3 | 51 (64.6) | 10 (47.6) | 0.02 |
|  | 4–5 | 25 (31.6) | 6 (28.6) |  |
6–8 | 3 (3.8) | 5 (23.8) | ||
LTOT | No | 54 (68.4) | 9 (42.9) | 0.009 |
| Â | Introduced at same time | 22 (27.8) | 7 (33.3) | Â |
Prior to antifibrotic agent | 3 (3.8) | 5 (23.8) | ||
KL6 | Â | 1210 [795, 1985.5] | 1530 [977, 2160] | 0.37 |
KL6 | Low | 42 (53.2) | 8 (38.1) | 0.333 |
| Â | High | 37 (46.8) | 13 (61.9) | Â |
LDH | Â | 239 [208.5, 264.5] | 242 [205, 305] | 0.56 |
LDH high (%) | Low | 40 (50.6) | 10 (47.6) | 1 |
| Â | High | 39 (49.4) | 11 (52.4) | Â |
Time from diagnosis to antifibrotic agent (per month) | Â | 12 [5, 25] | 30 [12, 50] | 0.02 |
Medication | ||||
 first-line antifibrotic agent | Nintedanib | 43 (54.4) | 9 (42.9) | 0.46 |
| Â | Pirfenidone | 36 (45.6) | 12 (57.1) | Â |
 H2 blocker use | No | 70 (88.6) | 18 (85.7) | 0.71 |
| Â | Yes | 9 (11.4) | 3 (14.3) | Â |
 PPI use | No | 35 (44.3) | 3 (14.3) | 0.01 |
| Â | Yes | 44 (55.7) | 18 (85.7) | Â |
 Corticosteroid use | Yes | 12 (15.2) | 14 (66.7) | < 0.001 |
 Anticoagulant use | Yes | 16 (20.3) | 2 (9.5) | 0.35 |