Abstract
Background: An oxidant-antioxidant imbalance may be associated with the disease process in Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). N-acetylcystein might contribute to a reversal of the oxidant-antioxidant imbalance. The inhalation of N-acetylcystein might be the best way of reaching N-acetylcystein to respiratory epithelial lining fluid. Furthermore, the efficacy of inhaled N-acetylcystein in patients with secondary interstitial pneumonia remains unclear.
Aim: To assesse the clinical efficacy of inhaled N-acetylcystein therapy in patients with interstitial pneumonia.
Methods: The study design was a prospective, single-arm study of the clinical effects of inhaled N-acetylcystein in patients with interstitial pneumonia who visited one institute in Saitama, Japan, between January 1 and December 31, 2013.
Results: A total of 40 patients were included. The patients with interstitial pneumonia were diagnosed as follows: IPF, 29 cases; idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia, 5 cases; connective tissue disease, 5 cases; and chronic hypersensitive pneumonitis, 1 case. The mean change in FVC during the 6 months after N-acetylcystein therapy was -10 mL. The effect of N-acetylcystein was only examined in patients (n = 28) who had conducted a respiratory function test at 6 months before the initiation of therapy. The mean change in FVC during 6 months prior to the N-acetylcystein therapy was -127 mL, while the mean change in FVC during 6 months after the initiation of therapy was -19 mL. The absolute serum level of KL-6 decreased significantly from 1372 U/mL to 1065 U/mL after the therapy. Conclusions: These results showed that inhaled N-acetylcystein had a beneficial effect in patients with interstitial pneumonia.
- Interstitial lung disease
- Interstitial lung disease (connective tissue disease)
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- © 2014 ERS