Relapses in patients treated with corticosteroids
| First author [ref.] | Patients n# | Number relapsed | Length of follow-up | Time to relapse | Fatal outcomes | Additional data |
| Lazor [44] | 48 | 28 (58%) with ≥1 relapse (68% still under treatment at 1st relapse) | 35±31 months (median 23) | 8±9 months (median 5; range 2–46) | No deaths attributable to COP or relapse | 9 (19%) with ≥3 relapses Relapses beyond 15 months of first relapse were rare |
| Lohr [45] | 20 | 4 (13%) | 3.4 years (median) | NG | 10 out of 37 at 10.5 years (5 pulmonary) | 5-year survival: 73% |
| Zhou [47] | 73 | 23 (31.5%) | 50+27 months (range 9–96 months) | ≤6 months in 8 of 13 following CS cessation | None | Fever, elevated C-reactive protein and worse DLCO associated with relapse |
| Barroso [48] | 33 | 18 (56%) out of 32 responding to CS (all responded to additional therapy) | 54±40 months | <6 months in 8 (44%) ≤1 year in 14 (78%) Mean time to first relapse: 10±12 months (range 2–54) | 7 (none due to COP recurrence; infection in 1) | Multifocal opacities predicted relapse Shortened CS maintenance (or lower dose) associated with relapse More rapid CXR normalisation when treated for relapse |
| Yoo [49] | 73 | 14 (19%) | 38.2 months (range 13–69) | NG | Disease-related death in 11 patients | 36 received prednisolone only 37 also received a cytotoxic agent |
| Zhang [50] | 53 | 35 (70%) | NG | NG | 3 patients | 50 patients treated with CS Relapsers responded to increased CS 98.3% 5-year survival |
| Drakopanagiotakis [51] | 40 | 13 (43%) out of 30 within 1 year | NG | NG | 1-year mortality: 2 (5.3%) | In-hospital mortality 5.7% |
| Onishi [52] | 40 | 15 (38%) | NG | NG | NG | BAL neutrophilia and high levels of tissue fibrin deposits correlated with relapse |
| Saito [53] | 33 | 10 (30.3%) | NG | 476±445 days (range 17–682 days) | NG | Bilateral shadowing and traction bronchiectasis predictive of relapse |
| Nishino [54] | 14 | 7 (50%) | 42 (5–84) months | NG | NG | Relapse associated with multifocal intra-alveolar fibrin deposits and more extensive involvement on chest imaging |
COP: cryptogenic organising pneumonia; NG: not given in manuscript; CS: corticosteroids; DLCO: diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide; CXR: chest radiograph; BAL: bronchoalveolar lavage. #: patients with COP treated with CS.