Extract
The introduction of antifibrotic agents to clinical practice and the need to better define patient populations for future clinical trials highlight the importance of accurate diagnosis. The main unmet need lies within the population of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (f-ILD) and indeterminate for usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The differential diagnosis mainly includes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), ILD associated with occult collagen tissue disease and, most notably, chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Abstract
BALF lymphocytosis is a valuable complementary tool in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (f-ILD) and indeterminate-for-UIP pattern on HRCT http://bit.ly/2nCTkOh
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: V. Tzilas has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Tzouvelekis has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: E. Bouros has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: T. Karampitsakos has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Ntasiou has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Katsaras has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: U. Costabel has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Wells reports personal fees from Bayer AG, Roche and Boehringer Ingelheim, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: D. Bouros reports grants, personal fees and non-financial support from Boehringer Ingelheim and Roche, and grants from Elpen, outside the submitted work.
- Received March 11, 2019.
- Accepted July 7, 2019.
- Copyright ©ERS 2019
