학술논문

Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Narrative Review
Review
Document Type
Report
Source
Pulmonary Therapy. June 2023, Vol. 9 Issue 2, p177, 17 p.
Subject
United Kingdom
Language
English
Abstract
Author(s): Hana Alsomali [sup.1] , Evelyn Palmer [sup.2] , Avinash Aujayeb [sup.3] , Wendy Funston [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.1006.7, 0000 0001 0462 7212, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle [...]
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease of unknown aetiology. Patients typically present with symptoms of chronic dyspnoea and cough over a period of months to years. IPF has a poor prognosis, with an average life expectancy of 3-5 years from diagnosis if left untreated. Two anti-fibrotic medications (nintedanib and pirfenidone) have been approved for the treatment of IPF. These drugs slow disease progression by reducing decline in lung function. Early diagnosis is crucial to ensure timely treatment selection and improve outcomes. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) plays a major role in the diagnosis of IPF. In this narrative review, we discuss the importance of early diagnosis, awareness among primary care physicians, lung cancer screening programmes and early IPF detection, and barriers to accessing anti-fibrotic medications.