OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether or not the newly revised classification of the severity of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is appropriate with respect to quality of life (QOL). METHODS: The association between the subscale of Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and pulmonary function or serum marker was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The association between the subscale of SF-36 and the previous or newly revised classification of the severity of IIP was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation test. PATIENTS: Forty patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were enrolled. RESULTS: The mean deviation value scores for 7 items, excluding bodily pain (BP) in SF-36 were below the national reference values. % vital capacity (VC) was correlated with the 7 items excluding BP. However, neither serum LDH nor KL-6 values were correlated with any item in SF-36. According to the new or previous classification of the severity, severity was correlated with physical function, limitation of role functioning related physical problems and general health (GH); the correlation coefficient with the new one was slightly higher than the previous one. Based on these results, we established a unique draft on the classification of the severity. %VC <70% was added as an item for the newly revised classification in our draft. In our draft, there was rank correlation between the 7 items, excluding BP, in SF-36 and severity. CONCLUSION: With respect to QOL, the newly revised classification of the severity of IIP was not satisfactory, but the hypoxemia during exercise in patients with resting PaO(2) >80 Torr and reduction of VC were found to be important factors.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether or not the newly revised classification of the severity of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is appropriate with respect to quality of life (QOL). METHODS: The association between the subscale of Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and pulmonary function or serum marker was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. The association between the subscale of SF-36 and the previous or newly revised classification of the severity of IIP was analyzed using Spearman's rank correlation test. PATIENTS: Forty patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were enrolled. RESULTS: The mean deviation value scores for 7 items, excluding bodily pain (BP) in SF-36 were below the national reference values. % vital capacity (VC) was correlated with the 7 items excluding BP. However, neither serum LDH nor KL-6 values were correlated with any item in SF-36. According to the new or previous classification of the severity, severity was correlated with physical function, limitation of role functioning related physical problems and general health (GH); the correlation coefficient with the new one was slightly higher than the previous one. Based on these results, we established a unique draft on the classification of the severity. %VC <70% was added as an item for the newly revised classification in our draft. In our draft, there was rank correlation between the 7 items, excluding BP, in SF-36 and severity. CONCLUSION: With respect to QOL, the newly revised classification of the severity of IIP was not satisfactory, but the hypoxemia during exercise in patients with resting PaO(2) >80 Torr and reduction of VC were found to be important factors.