Clinical outcomes of interstitial lung abnormalities: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Jinwoo Seok, Shinhee Park, Eun Chong Yoon, Hee‐Young Yoon
Abstract
Abstract Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA), incidental findings on computed tomography scans, have raised concerns due to their association with worse clinical outcomes. Our meta-analysis, which included studies up to April 2023 from PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library, aimed to clarify the impact of ILA on mortality, lung cancer development, and complications from lung cancer treatments. Risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for outcomes. Analyzing 10 studies on ILA prognosis and 9 on cancer treatment complications, we found that ILA significantly increases the risk of overall mortality (RR 2.62, 95% CI 1.94–3.54; I 2 = 90%) and lung cancer development (RR 3.85, 95% CI 2.64–5.62; I 2 = 22%). Additionally, cancer patients with ILA had higher risks of grade 2 radiation pneumonitis (RR 2.28, 95% CI 1.71–3.03; I 2 = 0%) and immune checkpoint inhibitor-related interstitial lung disease (RR 3.05, 95% CI 1.37–6.77; I 2 = 83%) compared with those without ILA. In conclusion, ILA significantly associates with increased mortality, lung cancer risk, and cancer treatment-related complications, highlighting the necessity for vigilant patient management and monitoring.