| Pulmonary fibrosis | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Interstitial pulmonary fibrosis |
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| Lung with end-stage pulmonary fibrosis at autopsy | |
 | |
| Clubbing of the fingers in pulmonary fibrosis | |
| Specialty | Pulmonology |
| Symptoms | Shortness of breath, dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, nail clubbing[1] |
| Complications | Pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failure, pneumothorax, lung cancer[2] |
| Causes | Tobacco smoking, environmental pollution, certain medications, connective tissue diseases, interstitial lung disease, unknown[1][3] |
| Treatment | Oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, lung transplantation[4] |
| Medication | Pirfenidone, nintedanib[4] |
| Prognosis | Poor[3] |
| Frequency | >5 million people[5] |
Pulmonary fibrosis is a condition in which the lungs become scarred over time.[1] Symptoms include shortness of breath, a dry cough, feeling tired, weight loss, and nail clubbing.[1] Complications may include pulmonary hypertension, respiratory failure, pneumothorax, and lung cancer.[2]
Causes include environmental pollution, certain medications, connective tissue diseases, infections, and interstitial lung diseases.[1][3][6] But in most cases the cause is unknown (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis).[1][3] Diagnosis may be based on symptoms, medical imaging, lung biopsy, and lung function tests.[1]
No cure exists and treatment options are limited.[1] Treatment is directed toward improving symptoms and may include oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation.[1][4] Certain medications may slow the scarring.[4] Lung transplantation may be an option.[3] At least 5 million people are affected globally.[5] Life expectancy is generally less than five years.[3]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Pulmonary Fibrosis". medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ a b "Pulmonary fibrosis – Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Pulmonary Fibrosis". MedicineNet, Inc. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Pulmonary fibrosis – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic". mayoclinic.org. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ a b "American Thoracic Society – General Information about Pulmonary Fibrosis". thoracic.org. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ Ahmad Alhiyari M, Ata F, Islam Alghizzawi M, Bint I Bilal A, Salih Abdulhadi A, Yousaf Z (31 December 2020). "Post COVID-19 fibrosis, an emerging complicationof SARS-CoV-2 infection". IDCases. 23: e01041. doi:10.1016/j.idcr.2020.e01041. ISSN 2214-2509. PMC 7785952. PMID 33425682.