Exploring Lung Function Decline in IPF and PPF at ERS Congress 2024

Lung Function Decline in Patients With IPF and PPF

Claudia Valenzuela, MD, a pulmonologist at the Hospital Universitario de La Princesa in Madrid, Spain, presented groundbreaking findings at the ERS Congress 2024. This study analyzed baseline forced vital capacity (FVC) decline in individuals with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). It compared these values to healthy references, showcasing that patients with IPF and PPF experienced significantly impaired lung function.

The results indicated that nintedanib effectively reduced the rate of FVC decline, demonstrating a 49% reduction for IPF and a 57% reduction for PPF in comparative studies.

Lung Function Decline Linked to Increased Mortality Risk in IPF

Divya Patel, DO, MBA, shared further insights on the implications of lung function decline for mortality risk in IPF patients. The study utilized real-world data from over 1,000 patients and revealed that even minor declines in lung function substantially increased mortality risk and the likelihood of requiring a lung transplant.

• The study found median relative changes in FVC and DLco over 12 months at -3.3% and -11.2%, respectively.
• Each threshold decline corresponded with heightened death or transplant risks.

These findings underscore the importance of vigilant lung function monitoring in IPF to detect early declines that may alter patient prognosis. Together, the studies conveyed at the ERS Congress 2024 highlight the burden of lung function decline associated with IPF and PPF, advocating for the use of treatments like nintedanib to mitigate disease progression.