TY - JOUR T1 - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: do scientists focus on publishing rather than on clinical relevance? JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.00811-2020 VL - 55 IS - 6 SP - 2000811 AU - C. Arnold Spek AU - JanWillem Duitman Y1 - 2020/06/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/55/6/2000811.abstract N2 - Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive chronic interstitial lung disorder characterised by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in the interstitial and alveolar spaces, resulting in scar formation and destruction of the normal pulmonary epithelium with consequent respiratory failure and eventual death [1]. Around 3 million people are affected by IPF, and the prognosis of these patients is devastating, with a median survival after diagnosis of approximately 3 years [2–4]. Despite the US Food and Drug Administartion approval of pirfenidone [5] and nintedanib [6] for the treatment of IPF in 2014, pharmacological treatment options for IPF remain limited. Although both drugs reduce the decline of lung function in IPF patients, they have serious side-effects, show no benefit on quality of life and do not stop nor reverse the disease [7–11]. Additional therapies to improve the prognosis and quality of life of IPF patients are thus urgently awaited [12].Advocating the use of therapeutic treatment strategies in preclinical IPF research remains challenging https://bit.ly/39Ob77c ER -