Research Article
Intrapulmonary Autoantibodies to HSP72 Are Associated with Improved Outcomes in IPF
Figure 4
IPF patients with raised concentrations of BALf anti-Hsp72 IgGAM have longer survival rates. Total BALf IgG, IgA and anti-Hsp72 IgG IgGAM were split between high (red lines) and low (black lines) expression rates by the median value. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve from the date of the BAL sample was made to either death or the census date. No association with survival was seen in total IgG ((a) HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.45-1.49, ) or anti-Hsp72 IgG ((c) HR 1.38, 95% CI 0.50-1.74, ). Total IgA ((b) HR 2.09, 95% CI 1.01-4.32, ) and anti-Hsp72 IgGAM ((d) HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.92, ) associated with improved patient survival. Total IgA and anti-Hsp72 IgGAM were reanalysed using a Cox proportional hazard model adjusting for age, sex, smoking, and percentage predicted VC and TLCO. After adjustment, total IgA showed no association with patient survival (adjusted HR 0.85, ), whilst elevated anti-Hsp72 IgGAM did show a significant association with survival (adjusted HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45-0.85, ).
| (a) |
| (b) |
| (c) |
| (d) |