Respirology : official journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Efficacy of inhaled N-acetylcysteine monotherapy in patients with early stage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal disorder for which there are currently no specific or effective medical treatments. A multicentre, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of inhaled N-acetylcysteine (NAC) monotherapy in Japanese patients with early stage IPF. ⋯ These findings indicate that NAC monotherapy may have some beneficial effect in patients with early stage IPF. Further trials in more select IPF populations with progressive disease are required to prove the efficacy of inhaled NAC.