Furthermore, comparing the P and N groups, the fibrosis score in the P group was significantly lower than that in the N group, and the protein expression level of Cav-1 in the P group was significantly higher than that in the N group at the three time points, indicating the better efficacy of pirfenidone than acetylcysteine in the pulmonary fibrosis of IPF. This evidence concerns the gene CAV1 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.