Baseline predictors of mortality in non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis interstitial lung disease – A retrospective cohort study at a tertiary centre in Malaysia

Abstract Background Baseline factors associated with mortality in non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis interstitial lung disease (non-IPF ILD) have been described in several population, but data from Malaysian cohorts remain limited. Objectives We described the clinical characteristics and explored baseline factors associated with all-cause mortality in a single tertiary centre in Malaysia. Methods This retrospective cohort study analysed non-IPF ILD treated at a tertiary centre in Malaysia between 1 January 2010 and 31 May 2023. Patients without baseline lung function tests or high-resolution computed tomography were excluded. Survival was assessed using Kaplan– Meier analysis, and associations with mortality were explored using Cox regression. Results The cohort included 229 patients, with a mean age of 60 ± 15 years, and a male-to-female ratio of 1:3. Indian patients constituted the largest group (n = 109, 47.6%). The mean baseline forced vital capacity (FVC) was 53.3 ± 21% predicted. Older age, FVC