ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed to have Diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) were evaluated in this study. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective evaluation, a tertiary care center in South India. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Subjects diagnosed to have DPLD over a five-year period were included in this study. Data pertained to clinical characteristics and lab parameters were obtained. STATISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS: t- test for Mean values and chi-square test for comparing proportions were used. RESULTS: There were 73 eligible patients included for evaluation. Secondary cause for DPLD was diagnosed in 40 (55%) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was diagnosed in 33 (45%). The mean age was 45+/-11 and 53+/-10 years, of these 5 (12%) and 17 (52%) were male subjects in the secondary DPLD and IPF group respectively. The mean age, dyspnoea, cough, clubbing and crepitations were noted to be higher in patients with IPF as compared to patients with secondary DPLD. Fifty patients were followed up for a mean of 13 months (28 secondary DPLD and 18 IPF). Follow up data was available in 46 patients. Of these subjects prednisone alone was initiated in 24 subjects and combination with azathioprine in 22. Subjective improvement in symptoms was noted in 29/46 (63%), 19 with secondary DPLD and 10 with IPF. CONCLUSION: symptoms and signs were noted more frequently with IPF, subjective improvement to treatment was noted in 63% and the best response was noted among patients diagnosed to have sarcoidosis. A prospective trial is needed to study the long term prognosis and therapeutic response among Indian patients.