• Taishi Harada, Kentaro Watanabe, Kazuki Nabeshima, Makoto Hamasaki, and Hiroshi Iwasaki.
• Departments of Pathology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan. haradata@adm.fukuoka-u.ac.jp
• Respirology. 2013 Feb 1; 18 (2): 278-83.

Background And ObjectiveFibroblastic foci (FF) composed of an accumulation of fibroblasts or myofibroblasts may be related to the progression of pulmonary fibrosis leading to respiratory insufficiency. Several studies have shown that the number of FF is a significant prognostic factor in usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). The purpose of the present study was to examine whether the extent of FF is related to impairment of respiratory function and prognosis in patients with biopsy-proven fibrosing interstitial pneumonia, including UIP and fibrotic non-specific interstitial pneumonia (fNSIP).MethodsFifty patients with histologically confirmed interstitial pneumonia including UIP or fNSIP were investigated, and correlations between FF and pulmonary function were evaluated. FF area was calculated as the proportion of total area (%FF) and the number of FF (FF/cm(2)) in the whole histological specimen from each patient.ResultsThe UIP group showed significantly higher %FF and FF/cm(2) than the fNSIP group. When UIP and fNSIP patients were analysed together, the group of patients who had died (death group) revealed significantly higher %FF and FF/cm(2) compared with the group of survivors, and the impairment of vital capacity and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide was correlated with %FF and FF/cm(2).ConclusionsFF correlated with impaired pulmonary function and may be a useful parameter to predict prognosis in patients with UIP and fNSIP.© 2012 The Authors. Respirology © 2012 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

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