Table 5. Outcomes and treatment dynamics between nintedanib and pirfenidone treatment groups over a five-year period.

Parameter	Nintedanib (n = 41)	Pirfenidone (n = 52)	P
Follow-up duration, (months)	35.48±20.22	35.19±19.90	0.814
Radiological stability rate, % (rate)	51.6% (16/31)	37.2% (16/43)	0.217
Clinical stability rate, % (rate)	48.4% (15/31)	34.9% (15/43)	0.243
Incidence of acute exacerbations, % (rate) Idiopathic cause Infection-related	44.1% (15/34) 13.3% (2/15) 100% (13/13)	61.2% (30/49) 10.0% (3/30) 96.3% (26/27)	0.124 1.000 1.000
Lung cancer development rate, % (rate)	2.4% (1/41)	1.9% (1/52)	1.000
Mortality rate, % (rate)	17.5% (7/31)	53.4.0% (23/43)	0.002
Time from diagnosis to mortality (month)	19.00±16.15	33.83±12.69	0.020
Cause of death % (rate) IPF-associated causes Non-IPF causes	- 71.4% (5/7) 28.6% (2/7)	- 58.3% (14/24) 41.7% (10/24)	- - 0.676
Switched treatments (%) From pirfenidone to nintedanib From nintedanib to pirfenidone	- - 24.4% (10/41)	- 17.3% (9/52) -	-

IPF: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis