Clinical evaluation of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and interstitial pneumonia associated with collagen vascular disease using logistic regression analysis

Objective To clarify the differences in the clinical features between idiop athic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) and interstitial pneumonia associated wi th collagen vascular diseases (CVD-IP). Methods Symptoms, radiographic findings, pulmonary function, blood chemistr y data including autoantibody, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) find ings were compared using multiple logistic regression analysis. Patients The subjects mere 44 patients clinically diagnosed with IIP and 33 patients with CVD-IP. Results The clinical features related to IIP were as follows: male sex, adv anced age, past history of hypertension, presence of cough, exertional dysp nea, digital clubbing, an increased level of gamma-globulin, decreased lung volume on chest X-ray, and typical type according to the criteria for tip on chest X-ray. Increased levels of rheumatoid factor and total cell number in BALF were related to CVD-IP. Conclusion These findings are considered to be useful to differentiate tip and CVD-IP.