Spectrum of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) and associated prevalence of pulmonary hypertension

Abstract

Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) encompass a wide range of epidemiological, genetic, pathophysiological, clinical and radiological parameters. These are often associated with a progressive course that may be further worsened by development of pulmonary hypertension (PH). It is an underreported complication associated with worse outcome. In our study, we have reported the spectrum of ILDs and estimated the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension among these patients at a tertiary care centre.

Method: In this cross-sectional study, demographical, clinical, radiological and histological data of ILD patients, attending the department of Respiratory Medicine, King George’s Medical University, India, was collected for a period of one year. Standard criteria along with multidisciplinary opinion were needed to arrive at the final diagnosis. All the patients were screened for pulmonary hypertension via trans-thoracic echocardiography. Mean pulmonary artery pressure ≥25 mmHg at rest was used to define PH.

Result: In the defined period, 239 patients were enrolled (58% females, n=141; mean age 52.4 years). The most common ILD was hypersensitivity pneumonitis (32.2%), followed by autoimmune-ILD (31.4%),idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (15.9%) and sarcoidosis (12.6%), non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis (2.1%) and rest 21 (5.9%) patients were diagnosed as other types of ILDs. Pulmonary hypertension was seen in 28.9% of patients.

Conclusion: There is a higher prevalence of hypersensitivity pneumonitis and autoimmune-ILD reporting at our centre. A significant number of patients had pulmonary hypertension. Thus, it is imperative that ILD patients are regularly screened for PH.