Table 2 Comparison analysis of clinical, laboratory, and physiological data between cluster 1 and 2.

From: Quantitative analysis of pathological findings identified clinical heterogeneity in nonspecific interstitial pneumonia with organising pneumonia overlap

 

Cluster1

Cluster2

p value

No. of cases

20

18

 

Gender (male)

5 (25.0%)

9 (50.0%)

0.11

Never smoker

10 (50.0%)

7 (38.9%)

0.49

Days from first visit to SLB (days)

36.5 (18.8–74.5)

35 (13.0–45.5)

0.23

Days from symptom recognition to SLB (days)

85 (31.5–145.3)

106 (36.5–209.5)

0.36

Diagnosis

IPAF

5 (25.0%)

4 (22.2%)

0.84

PM/DM

7 (35.0%)

9 (50.0%)

0.34

Other CTD

5 (25.0%)

1 (5.6%)

0.11

Pulmonary function test

% FVC (%)

87.0 ± 16.4

71.3 ± 13.7

 < 0.001*

%FEV1 (%)

84.8 ± 19.0

68.6 ± 15.7

 < 0.001*

% DLCO (%)

71.8 ± 18.0

64.5 ± 11.3

0.13

Blood test

LDH (U/L)

215.5 (206.8–266)

251 (226–298.8)

0.23

KL-6 (U/mL)

1109 (874.8–1619.3)

2101 (1141–2922)

0.047*

CRP (mg/dL)

0.24 (0.11–0.72)

0.44 (0.11–0.76)

0.98

ESR (mm/h)

24.0 (18.0–34.0)

38 (23.8–51.0)

0.046*

pO2 (mmHg)

81.7 ± 9.1

75.7 ± 18.7

0.04*

Pathological evaluation (lower lobes)

Alveolar epithelial injury

0 (0–1)

1 (0.25–2)

0.023*

Bronchiolitis

1 (0.75–1)

1 (1–1)

0.031*

Interstitial cellular infiltration

1 (1–1)

3 (2.25–3)

 < 0.001*

Collapse

1 (0–1)

1 (0–2)

0.48

Fibrosis

2 (1–2)

1.5 (1–2)

0.47

Lymphoid follicle

0 (0–0)

1 (1–2)

 < 0.001*

Mural incorporation fibrosis

1 (1–2)

2 (1.25–2)

0.07

Organising pneumonia

1 (0.75–1)

2 (2–2)

 < 0.001*

Plasma cell infiltration

1 (1–1)

2 (1–2)

0.004*

Pleural fibrosis

0 (0–1)

1 (0.25–1)

0.004*

Pleuritis

0 (0–0)

0 (0–0.75)

0.03*

Traction bronchiectasis

1 (1–1)

1 (1–1)

0.14

Type II pneumocyte hyperplasia

1 (1–2)

1 (1–2)

0.43

Quantitative CT analysis (% lower lobes)

Consolidation

2.46 (1.26–5.19)

4.66 (2.82–7.47)

0.037*

Consolidation with fibrosis

0.17 (0.05–0.39)

0.19 (0.04–0.34)

0.45

Emphysema

0.03 (0.00–0.22)

0.02 (0–0.04)

0.14

Fibrosis

0.09 (0.03–0.14)

0.09 (0.02–0.32)

0.37

Honeycomb

0 (0–0.002)

0.003 (0- 0.009)

0.073

GGO

7.48 (3.82–12.85)

8.68 (6.03–11.16)

0.34

Reticulation

4.04 (1.66–5.22)

4.80 (2.13–5.94)

0.25

Traction bronchiectasis

0.24 (0.15–0.54)

0.50 (0.29–0.83)

0.043*

Initial treatment

OCS only

1 (5%)

2 (11.8%)

0.33

OCS + immunosuppressive

4 (16%)

5 (29.4%)

0.26

Pulse steroid therapy

10(50%)

9(52.9%)

0.21

At least 3-months follow-up

20 (100%)

16 (88.9%)

 

Mortality

0 (0%)

2 (11.1%)

0.13

Number of acute exacerbation events

0 (0%)

0 (0%)

1

Frequency of PPF during follow-up

8/20 (40%)

12/16 (75%)

0.036*

  1. CTD connective tissue disease, DLCO diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide, ESR erythrocyte sedimentation rate, FEV1 forced expiratory volume in one second, FVC forced vital capacity, KL-6 Krebs von den Lungen-6, OCS oral corticosteroid, PM/DM polymyositis/dermatomyositis, PPF progressive pulmonary fibrosis, SLB surgical lung biopsy, *indicates p-value < 0.05.
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