Ghang B, et al. - Researchers retrospectively studied the records of 512 patients diagnosed as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), to determine the clinical importance of autoantibody positivity in IPF. Two subgroups of patients were defined: an autoantibody-positive IPF subgroup of 138 patients, including those with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) or autoantibodies that satisfied the criteria for the interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) serologic domain; and a lone IPF subgroup (n = 374) including the rest of the IPF patients. Better survival outcomes were reported in relation to the presence of ANCA or autoantibodies of the IPAF serologic domain in IPF patients. Superior survival outcomes were observed in relation to the use of immunomodulators. The identified independent risk factors for 5-year death in autoantibody-positive IPF patients were: use of glucocorticoid (not for management of acute exacerbation), use of immunomodulators, malignancy, baseline forced vital capacity, baseline diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, and baseline 6-min walk test distance.