This stressful question is on the minds of any patient who has a first degree relative with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).  Our readers often ask how they can know for certain that they don’t have IPF if a parent or a sibling has the disease.   Most IPF Isn’t Familial  The majority of patients with IPF don’t have familial … [Read more...]

Interstitial Pneumonia is a term used to describe a large family of non-infectious lung diseases. The most common entities include non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).  Less common members of this family include acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP), respiratory … [Read more...]

Patients with IPF often have to contend with multiple problems related to their lung disease. Cardinal symptoms are shortness of breath and cough.  These symptoms lead to evaluation that eventually includes a high resolution CT scan of the chest.  In some cases a lung biopsy is required to confirm the diagnosis and in others the diagnosis can be … [Read more...]

Pulmonary fibrosis may result from many assaults to the lungs including chronic inflammation, severe or recurrent pneumonia and also recurrent severe gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) that leads to aspiration of stomach contents into your lungs.  Over the years there has been variable focus on GER and its contribution to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).  Early data suggested a … [Read more...]

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints.  It typically involves the hands, wrists and feet but can involve any joint.  What is less well known is that Rheumatoid Arthritis can involve the lungs in many ways. Pulmonary Fibrosis:  scarring of the lungs Bronchiolitis Obliterans:  an airway disease that behaves like severe asthma Rheumatoid … [Read more...]