Abstract
Objective: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by acute or chronic diffuse involvement of pulmonary parenchyma leading to a variable degree of lung fibrosis. Study was planned to asses clinical profile of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and methods used for diagnosis. Material and methods: It was a retrospective analysis of symptoms, signs, radiological findings and lung biopsy of patients diagnosed to have IPF over a 16-month period. Results: During the study period, 185 patients (85 men) with a mean age of 44.63 ± 10.4 years were diagnosed to have IPF. Breathlessness (100%) and dry cough (53.4%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Patients were diagnosed based on clinical features and high resolution chest tomography (HRCT) findings. HRCT was performed in all patients; 90% had features suggestive of diffuse interstitial fibrosis. Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) was performed in 20 (10%) patients. Conclusion: IPF is diagnosed more commonly now than in the past. Indian patients may be developing the disease a decade earlier than their counterparts in the West. TBLB and HRCT are useful in establishing diagnosis. IPF should be considered a distinct clinical entity rather than a diagnosis of exclusion.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Medical Research and Review
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
