Clinical pattern of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a retrospective study

IPF is the most common form of interstitial lung disease. IPF is a clinico-pathological syndrome characterized by cough, exertional dyspnea, basilar crackles, a restrictive pattern on pulmonary function test [PFT] and honey comb pattern on HRCT. Since there are no exact data on IPF in Iranian patients and also the controversy that exist in this regard we decided to study the IPF cases in regard to epidemiologic, clinical features, radiologic manifestations and diagnosis in Masih Daneshvari Hospital during 1998-2001. This study was a descriptive retrospective study on files of IPF patients in Masih Daneshvari Hospital during 1998-2001. Although the total number of patients was 98, only 50 cases that had clinical and pathological findings compatible with IPF were included in the study. Twenty-seven [54%] were males and 23 [46%] were females. Mean age was 56.25 +/- 15.86 yrs. The most common clinical signs and symptoms were dyspnea [100%], cough [90%] and crackle [90%]. HRCT findings were abnormal in all patients. Eighteen percent were smokers and the most common occupational exposure was through agriculture. 82.2% of patients had restrictive pattern on PFT. Seventy percent of patients had transbronchial lung biopsy [TBLB], 26% had open lung biopsy [OLB] and 4% had video-assisted thoracoscopy [VATS]. Age of patients with IPF in our study is one decade lower than in Western countries. HRCT and TBLB assist significantly in the diagnosis of IPF and limiting the surgical procedures to only a limited number of cases