Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study compared chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings between patients with anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) antibody-positive and antibody-negative progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM). Methods: Of the 85 patients with PM/DM-interstitial lung disease (ILD), 17 were anti-MDA5 antibody-positive, and 68 were antibody-negative. Among these, 5 anti-MDA5 antibody-positive and 9 antibody-negative cases met the criteria for PPF and were enrolled in the study. The chest HRCT findings and the duration from treatment initiation to the appearance of key fibrotic changes were analyzed. Results: In the anti-MDA5-positive group, all patients were diagnosed with PPF within 6 months of treatment initiation, compared to only 22.2% in the anti-MDA5-negative group. While there was no difference between the anti-MDA5 antibody-positive and antibody-negative groups in terms of chest HRCT findings associated with PPF, the duration to the appearance of increased traction bronchiectasis and bronchiolectasis, and new ground-glass opacity with traction bronchiectasis was significantly shorter in the anti-MDA5-positive group (p = 0.016 and p = 0.023, respectively). The appearance of new fine reticulations and increased coarseness of reticular abnormalities tended to be shorter in the anti-MDA5 antibody-positive group than in the antibody-negative group. Conclusions: Pulmonary fibrosis in patients with anti-MDA5 antibody-positive ILD can rapidly progress within 6 months, despite immunosuppressive therapy. Frequent HRCT monitoring and early combination therapy with antifibrotic agents are crucial for managing the progression of fibrosis.