AE in IPF was diagnosed according to the Japanese Respiratory Society diagnostic criteria as follows: (I) within one month of the chronic course of IPF disease progression, the following three conditions should be satisfied: (i) progressively worsening dyspnoea, (ii) new ground glass opacities evident on high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans superimposed on a background reticular or honeycomb pattern , and (iii) a reduction of resting partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) by more than 10 Torr (mmHg) compared to previous measurements; and (II) exclusion of obvious causes of acutely impaired respiratory function, such as infection, pneumothorax, cancer, pulmonary embolism, and congestive cardiac failure (8 (link),14 (link)).
Apparent infections were carefully excluded by measuring antibodies for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumonia, β-D glucan, cytomegalovirus antigen and bacterial cultures of blood and sputum. Congestive heart failure was excluded by echocardiography and pulmonary embolism was excluded by contrast CT and/or echo-Doppler examination.
Apparent infections were carefully excluded by measuring antibodies for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumonia, β-D glucan, cytomegalovirus antigen and bacterial cultures of blood and sputum. Congestive heart failure was excluded by echocardiography and pulmonary embolism was excluded by contrast CT and/or echo-Doppler examination.
