Kato M, et al. - In this study performed on 36 patients who were clinically diagnosed with idiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (IPPFE) and enrolled between April 2009 and September 2017, researchers determined the clinical prognostic factors influencing survival. Two groups were formed: short survival (dead within 12 months from the diagnosis of IPPFE) or long survival (survived for greater than 12 months) groups. The clinical characteristics, serum markers, pulmonary function test results, and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings were retrospectively analyzed. An independent prognostic factor for IPPFE was identified and that was a usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern in the lower lobes at the time of diagnosis.