Our Interstitial Lung Disease Experiences

Abstract

Objective: Interstitial lung diseases is the name given to the acute or chronic disease group that affects the lung parenchyma as diffuse, causing inflammation, fibrosis and structural disorders in the parenchyma. Diseases in this group show common characteristics clinically, radiologically, pathologically and functionally. It is a heterogeneous group of diseases whose etiology is not fully clarified. Difficulties are experienced in its diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. In this study, we aimed to evaluate 240 patients diagnosed with interstitial lung diseases retrospectively in terms of diagnosis and treatment. Material and methods: In this study, patients diagnosed with interstitial lung diseases in our clinic between January 2017 and January 2020, age, gender, smoking, diagnostic methods, operation type, radiological appearance, histopathological diagnosis types, immune marker positivity, pulmonary function tests and In terms of treatment methods applied, it was retrospectively analyzed. Results: 109 (45.4%) of the patients were women, 131 (54.6%) were male and the mean age was 65 ± 14.3 (18-95). 77 (32.1%) patients were diagnosed by performing transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy with flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy, transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy was performed in 6 (2.5%) patients by endobronchial ultrasonography and diagnosis was made, 8 (3.3%) patients were diagnosed by mediastinoscopy biopsy, 4 (1.6%) patients by scalene lymph node biopsy, and 10 (4.2%) patients by video assisted thoracoscopic surgery biopsy. Out of 240 patients, 105 (43.75%) pathological definitive diagnosis was reached. The diagnoses were idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), sarcoidosis, collogen tissue diseases, cryptogenic organized pneumonia, respectively. The diagnosis of 135 (56.25%) patients who could not be diagnosed pathologically was made with clinical and radiological findings. Conclusion: It is difficult to make a specific diagnosis in interstitial lung diseases and only 25-30% of patients can be detected etiological factor. Failure to apply invasive diagnostic methods, especially in patients with respiratory distress, makes diagnosis more difficult. Therefore, detailed examination of clinical, radiological and physiological parameters is required in these patients.