Table 1 Clinical and functional data for patients at baseline

Age (years, mean ± SD)

69.8 ± 8.6

70.0 ± 9.0

68.6 ± 8.6

p = NS

Sex ratio (M/F) (n)

23/8

12/3

9/5

p = NS

 Never smoker

4

2

2

 Current smoker

0

0

0

 Former smoker

25

12

11

 Passive smoker

2

1

1

 Pirfenidone

15

7

7

 Nintedanib

15

8

6

 No treatments

1

0

1

 Stage 1

10

2

8

 Stage 2

16

8

6

 Stage 3

5

5

0

C-reactive protein (mg/L) (median, range)

3.2 (1.9–7)

2.7 (1.7–5.6)

3.75 (1.72–8.2)

p = NS

 FVC (% predicted)

73.9 ± 19.0

64.4 ± 13.5

83.8 ± 19.9

p = 0.005 *

 DLCO (% predicted)

44.3 ± 11.7

41.5 ± 14.4

47.1 ± 8.3

p = NS

 SaO₂ post-exercise (%)

89.1 ± 4.7

87.3 ± 4.0

90.9 ± 4.2

p = 0.035 *

 Distance traveled (m)

464.4 ± 111.7

464.8 ± 118.4

460.4 ± 114.8

p = NS

 Cellularity (/mm³)

293 (140–450)

405 (130–567.5)

261.5 (132.5–420)

p = NS

 Macrophages (%)

79 (65–89)

85.5 (60.2–92)

79 (65–85)

p = NS

 Lymphocytes (%)

4 (2.5–7)

3.5 (1.75–7)

5.5 (2.5–10)

p = NS

 Neutrophils (%)

8 (3–15)

6 (3.75–10)

8 (2–16)

p = NS

 Eosinophils (%)

1 (0–3)

1 (0–9.5)

2 (0–3)

p = NS

 SUVmean uncorr

0.95 ± 0.19

1.00 ± 0.20

0.89 ± 0.17

p = NS

 SUVmax uncorr

3.24 ± 0.73

3.34 ± 0.92

3.12 ± 0.52

p = NS

 SUVmean corr

2.70 ± 0.35

2.72 ± 0.43

2.65 ± 0.29

p = NS

 SUVmax corr

29.89 ± 6.43

30.20 ± 6.74

30.48 ± 6.26

p = NS

CT mean (HU) (mean ± SD)

−580.04 ± 57.34

− 563.09 ± 51.78

− 598.49 ± 61.51

p = NS