TY - JOUR T1 - Long-term follow-up high-resolution CT findings in non-specific interstitial pneumonia JF - Thorax JO - Thorax SP - 61 LP - 65 DO - 10.1136/thx.2010.140574 VL - 66 IS - 1 AU - Masanori Akira AU - Yoshikazu Inoue AU - Toru Arai AU - Tomohisa Okuma AU - Yutaka Kawata Y1 - 2011/01/01 UR - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/66/1/61.abstract N2 - Background The aims of this study were to retrospectively assess the change in findings on follow-up CT scans of patients with non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP; median, 72 months; range, 3–216 months) and to clarify the correlation between the baseline CT findings and mortality.Methods The study included 50 patients with a histologic diagnosis of NSIP. Two observers evaluated the high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings independently and classified each case into one of the following three categories: (1) compatible with NSIP, (2) compatible with UIP or (3) suggestive of alternative diagnosis. The correlation between the HRCT findings and mortality was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and the log-rank test, as well as Cox proportional hazards regression models.Results Ground-glass opacity and consolidation decreased, whereas coarseness of fibrosis and traction bronchiectasis increased on the follow-up HRCT scans, however, in 78% of cases the overall extent of parenchymal abnormalities had no change or decreased. Patients with HRCT diagnosed compatible with NSIP had a longer survival than those with HRCT findings more compatible UIP or an alternative diagnosis. On multivariate analysis, the coarseness of fibrosis alone was associated with prognosis (HR: 1.480; 95% CIs 1.100 to 1.990).Conclusions The HRCT patterns seen in patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of NSIP progress in a variable manner. Overall disease extent may decrease over time in some, while fibrosis may progress in others. The initial HRCT diagnosis may impact survival in this group of patients. ER -