Mortality Associated with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Northeastern Italy, 2008–2020: A Multiple Cause of Death Analysis

Alessandro Marcon, Elena Schievano and Ugo Fedeli
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Alessandro Marcon: Unit of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Strada Le Grazie 8, 37134 Verona, Italy
Elena Schievano: Epidemiological Department, Azienda Zero Regione del Veneto, via Jacopo Avanzo 35, 35132 Padova, Italy
Ugo Fedeli: Epidemiological Department, Azienda Zero Regione del Veneto, via Jacopo Avanzo 35, 35132 Padova, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-10

Abstract: Mortality from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is increasing in most European countries, but there are no data for Italy. We analysed the registry data from a region in northeastern Italy to assess the trends in IPF-related mortality during 2008–2019, to compare results of underlying vs. multiple cause of death analyses, and to describe the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. We identified IPF (ICD-10 code J84.1) among the causes of death registered in 557,932 certificates in the Veneto region. We assessed time trends in annual age-standardized mortality rates by gender and age (40–74, 75–84, and ≥85 years). IPF was the underlying cause of 1310 deaths in the 2251 certificates mentioning IPF. For all age groups combined, the age-standardized mortality rate from IPF identified as the underlying cause of death was close to the European median (males and females: 3.1 and 1.3 per 100,000/year, respectively). During 2008–2019, mortality rates increased in men aged ≥85 years (annual percent change of 6.5%, 95% CI: 2.0, 11.2%), but not among women or for the younger age groups. A 72% excess of IPF-related deaths was registered in March–April 2020 (mortality ratio 1.72, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.24). IPF mortality was increasing among older men in northeastern Italy. The burden of IPF was heavier than assessed by routine statistics, since less than two out of three IPF-related deaths were directly attributed to this condition. COVID-19 was accompanied by a remarkable increase in IPF-related mortality.

Keywords: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; mortality; time trends analysis; multiple cause of death; underlying cause of death; COVID-19; epidemiology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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