The effectiveness of deep lung support as an adjuvant therapy to pirfenidone on respiratory symptoms in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A randomized clinical trial from Iran.

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a persistent interstitial lung disease marked by fibrosis, inflammation, and structural damage. With no known cure, treatment aims to decelerate the progression of fibrosis, ensure comfort and well-being, and provide palliative care in the later stages. Recently, research has explored the use of herbal medicines for treating IPF. This study evaluated the effectiveness of deep lung support (DLS) as an adjunctive therapy alongside pirfenidone in enhancing clinical symptoms, quality of life (QOL), and serum TGF-β levels in patients with IPF.

METHODS

In this double-blind clinical trial, 60 patients diagnosed with IPF were included. Participants were randomly assigned to either the DLS group or the control group, with 30 patients in each group. The intervention group received 1 DLS oral capsule three times daily, while the control group received a placebo for 3 months. All patients were evaluated for respiratory symptoms, QOL and TGF-β level. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26 software.

RESULTS

In the current study, the majority of participants were women (51.66 %). After three months, DLS consumption led to improved severity of cough and dyspnea. Additionally, serum TGF-β levels significantly decreased following its use. The consumption of DLS also resulted in an enhanced QOL (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The study results indicated that DLS significantly improves respiratory symptoms, enhances QOL, and reduces serum TGF-β levels in IPF patients. Furthermore, DLS is well tolerated during short-term use.