• N P Barlo, C H M van Moorsel, H J T Ruven, P Zanen, J M M van den Bosch, and J C Grutters.
• Centre for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Department of Pulmonology, St. Antonius Hospital Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
• Sarcoidosis Vasc Dif. 2009 Jul 1;26(2):155-61.

BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive interstitial lung disease with a high mortality rate. As lung transplantation is the only therapeutic option, it is important to predict survival.ObjectiveThis study evaluates the clinical value of surfactant protein-D as a marker of prognosis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.DesignSurfactant protein-D was measured in serum of 72 patients and 305 healthy controls. The optimal cut-off level to define unfavourable prognosis was determined using a ROC analysis. A Cox's proportional Hazards model was used to evaluate variables that were significant predictors of survival.ResultsSerum levels of surfactant protein-D were significantly higher in patients than in controls. ROC analysis showed 460 ng/ml to be the optimal cut-off level to discriminate survivor from non-survivors after 1 year. Patients with high levels (> 460 ng/ml) had a median survival time of 13 months, compared to 67 months in the group with low levels (< 460 ng/ml). Surfactant protein-D showed to be a significant predictor of prognosis, even when corrected for age, sex, smoking, and lung function.ConclusionThe measurement of surfactant protein-D in serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis might be a clinically relevant tool to predict survival.

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