Korean Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Interstitial Lung Diseases: Part 1. Introduction
- Author:
Sung Woo PARK
1
;
Ae Rin BAEK
;
Hong Lyeol LEE
;
Sung Whan JEONG
;
Sei Hoon YANG
;
Yong Hyun KIM
;
Man Pyo CHUNG
;
Author Information
- Publication Type:Review
- From:Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 2019;82(4):269-276
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) is a histologically identifiable pulmonary disease without a known cause that usually infiltrates the lung interstitium. IIP is largely classified into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, idiopathic non-specific interstitial pneumonia, respiratory bronchiolitis-interstitial lung disease (ILD), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, and acute interstitial pneumonia. Each of these diseases has a different prognosis and requires specific treatment, and a multidisciplinary approach that combines chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), histological findings, and clinical findings is necessary for their diagnosis. Diagnosis of IIP is made based on clinical presentation, chest HRCT findings, results of pulmonary function tests, and histological findings. For histological diagnosis, video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy and transbronchial lung biopsy are used. In order to identify ILD associated with connective tissue disease, autoimmune antibody tests may also be necessary. Many biomarkers associated with disease prognosis have been recently discovered, and future research on their clinical significance is necessary. The diagnosis of ILD is difficult because patterns of ILD are both complicated and variable. Therefore, as with other diseases, accurate history taking and meticulous physical examination are crucial.
