Serum cytokines at the time of diagnosis of AE-IIPs: comparison between 90-day survivors and non-survivors*
| Parameters | Survivors (n=19) | Non-survivors (n=9) | P value |
| IL-ra | 95.48 (25.88 to 248.77) | 161.6 (6.76 to 766.6) | 0.8240 |
| IL-2 | 0.430 (0.340 to 0.950) | 0.240 (0.155 to 0.405) | 0.0128 |
| IL-4 | 0.300 (0.190 to 0.440) | 0.270 (0.205 to 0.335) | 0.4163 |
| IL-5 | 1.380 (1.010 to 2.320) | 1.010 (0.780 to 1.615) | 0.0847 |
| IL-6 | 0.480 (0.24 to 1.390) | 1.100 (0.190 to 2.150) | 0.7490 |
| IL-7 | 1.410 (1.080 to 1.970) | 0.800 (0.445 to 1.340) | 0.0138 |
| IL-8 | 3.510 (2.410 to 7.140) | 3.970 (2.110 to 27.220) | 0.9021 |
| IL-9 | 2.150 (1.940 to 3.160) | 1.790 (1.600 to 2.045) | 0.0058 |
| IL-10 | 0.900 (0.590 to 1.610) | 0.590 (0.375 to 1.775) | 0.3370 |
| IL-12 | 0.260 (0.120 to 0.490) | 0.120 (0.050 to 0.175) | 0.0738 |
| IL-13 | 0.210 (0.120 to 0.380) | 0.070 (0.040 to 0.105) | 0.0083 |
| IL-17 | 1.090 (0.087 to 1.720) | 1.090 (0.700 to 1.335) | 0.5059 |
| Eotaxin/CCL11 | 17.55 (10.17 to 32.92) | 18.79 (10.98 to 20.76) | 0.6055 |
| b-FGF | 5.860 (4.720 to 7.850) | 4.720 (4.410 to 6.025) | 0.0823 |
| G-CSF | 5.210 (0.980 to 25.140) | 1.560 (0.34 to 22.688) | 0.4151 |
| GM-CSF | 0.070 (0.040 to 0.320) | 0.020 (0.020 to 0.040) | 0.0119 |
| IFNγ | 0.800 (0.530 to 2.220) | 0.620 (0.510 to 1.410) | 0.5218 |
| IP-10/CXCL10 | 605.6 (307.6 to 1293.8) | 215.4 (154.8 to 538.7) | 0.0195 |
| MCP-1/CCL2 | 5.650 (3.280 to 22.530) | 4.500 (2.640 to 13.145) | 0.4029 |
| MIP-1α/CCL3 | 0.690 (0.400–1.230) | 0.510 (0.280 to 8.205) | 0.3758 |
| PDGF-BB | 87.81 (68.72 to 144.2) | 47.88 (21.35 to 91.49) | 0.0366 |
| MIP-1β/CCL4 | 248.2 (186.1 to 307.1) | 200.3 (193.6 to 355.3) | 0.6759 |
| RANTES/CCL5 | 2370 (1803 to 5610) | 1568 (1333 to 1859) | 0.0085 |
| TNF-α | 4.680 (4.040 to 6.420) | 3.840 (3.205 to 5.130) | 0.0518 |
*Serum cytokine levels at the time of diagnosis of AE (pg/mL) were compared between 90-day survivors and non-survivors using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.
G-CSF; granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; AE, acute exacerbation; b-FGF, basic fibroblast growth factor; CCL, CC chemokine ligand; CXCL, CXC chemokine ligand; GM-CSF, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; IFN, interferon; IIPs, idiopathic interstitial pneumonias; IL, interleukin; IP-10, IFN-γ inducible protein; MCP, monocyte chemotactic protein; MIP, macrophage inflammatory protein; PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor; RANTES, regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.