Patient-Reported Outcomes Correlate with Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by progressive fibrosis and declining quality of life. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide a comprehensive understanding of a patients experience and health status than clinical measures (COs) alone, capturing how patients feel, function, and experience their health. However, the relationship between PROs and COs remains incompletely understood in this population. MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of data from the YES-IPF trial, examining 60 IPF patients who completed a 12-week modified yoga program or continued usual activities. Pearson correlations between 21 PROs and 6 COs (FVC: absolute and percent-predicted, DLCO: absolute and percent-predicted, 6-minute walk test, and GAP: Gender-Age-Physiology index) were assessed at baseline and week. p-values were adjusted using the Benjamini-Hochberg method across 21 PROs for each CO measured. FindingsSeveral significant correlations were observed between PROs and COs; key findings include total L-IPF correlating with absolute FVC having baseline r = -0.33 (p = 0.03) and 12-week r = 0.42 (p < 0.01), total L-IPF correlating with 6MWT having baseline r = -0.43 (p < 0.01) and 12-week r = -0.37 (p = 0.02), shortness of breath R-scale-PF correlating with absolute DLCO having baseliner = -0.35 (p = 0.04) and 12-week r = -0.49 (p < 0.01), total KBILD correlating with percent-predicted FVC having baseline r = 0.38 (p = 0.03) and 12-week r = 0.43 (p < 0.01), and K-BILD Breathlessness and Activities score correlating with GAP score having baseline r = -0.42 (p = 0.02) and 12-week r = -0.40 (p = 0.02). InterpretationIn IPF patients, breathlessness-specific PROs report correlation with COs of disease severity, while sleep-related and psychological domains demonstrate weaker correlations. This highlights that PROs and COs measure related but distinct aspects of IPF. FundingNo funding support was received for this study. Trial RegistrationRegistered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT0284862)