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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: J Rheumatol. 2018 Apr 1;45(6):841–850. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.170541

Table 3.

Comparison of pre and post-RTX CT scan score, PFT measurements, and prednisone dose for all subjects with follow-up at 1–3 years (n=25). Mean ± SD presented.

Baseline 1 Year Follow-up 2 Year Follow-up 3 Year Follow-up
CT Scan
Average score 194 ± 58
n=15
195 ± 55
n=8
187 ± 52
n=5
161 ± 55
n=4
Paired average Δ
(p-value)*
N/A −2.0
(0.84)
−0.9
(0.88)
−38.9
(0.63)
Improved/Stable** N/A 2/5 (88%) 0/4 (80%) 1/2 (75%)
PFTs
FVC% 57 ± 17
n=22
60 ± 20
n=19
65 ± 22
n=12
82 ± 20
n=7
Paired average Δ
(p-value)
N/A +3.7
(0.18)
+7.7
(0.15)
+21.1
(0.016)
Improved/Stable N/A 8/7 (79%) 6/4 (83%) 7/0 (100%)
TLC% 56 ± 13
n=7
64 ± 13
n=7
67 ± 24
n=5
75 ± 19
n=2
Paired average Δ
(p-value)
N/A +8.3
(0.016)
+8.6
(0.44)
+23.5
(0.50)
DLCO% 42 ± 17
n=19
36 ± 16
n=17
53 ± 26
n=9
70 ± 20
n=4
Paired average
Δ(p-value)
N/A −3.34
(0.46)
+9.6
(0.074)
+14.8
(0.25)
Prednisone
Average Dose 18 ± 9
n=20
12 ± 12
n=17
10 ± 8
n=6
6 ± 6
n=4
Paired average Δ
(p-value)
N/A −6.2
(0.041)
−3.3
(0.63)
−15.1
(0.13)
Improved/Stable N/A 11/4 (88%) 2/2 (67%) 4/0 (100%)
*

Paired average Δ represents difference in the mean of paired observations with the p-value as calculated using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

**

Improved is defined by >10% decrease in CT score or >10 improvement in FVC%. Stable is defined by <10% increase in CT score or <10 decline in FVC% (Pioped criteria). Values are compared to baseline time point.

Abbreviations: RTX – Rituximab, CT – Computed tomography, PFTs - Pulmonary function tests, SD – Standard deviation, FVC% - Forced vital capacity (% predicted), TLC% - Total lung capacity (% predicted), DLCO% - Diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (% predicted)