Table 2.

Comparison of serum levels of PGRN, activin A, A-a gradient, DL_CO% pred, and FVC% pred in the two groups

	AE-IPF	Control group	t	p-value
PGRN (ng/ml), mean ± SD	83.7 ± 10.0	61.0 ± 7.3	8.64	< 0.001
Activin A (ng/ml), mean ± SD	14.2 ± 1.7	5.8 ± 1.0	19.7	< 0.001
A-a gradient (mmHg), mean ± SD	38.2 ± 5.28	34.7 ± 3.61	2.58	0.013
DLco% pred, mean ± SD	33.8 ± 5.5	50.6 ± 5.4	− 6.79	< 0.001
FVC% pred, mean ± SD	39.4 ± 5.8	48 ± 6.0	− 4.566	< 0.001

A-a gradient: the difference in blood oxygen partial pressure between alveoli and arterial capillaries

DLco: carbon monoxide diffusion capacity % pred: percentage predicted

FVC: forced vital capacity % pred: percentage predicted