Interstitial lung disease (patient information)
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Interstitial lung disease |
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Interstitial lung disease On the Web |
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Risk calculators and risk factors for Interstitial lung disease |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Mohammed A. Sbeih, M.D.[2] Phone:617-849-2629
Overview
Diffuse interstitial lung disease refers to a group of lung disorders in which the deep lung tissues become inflamed.
What are the symptoms of Interstitial lung disease?
Shortness of breath is a key symptom of interstitial lung disease. People may breathe faster or need to take deep breaths.
- At first, shortness of breath is not severe and you may only notice it with exercise, climbing stairs, and other hard activities.
- Over time, you may notice it while bathing or dressing, and then while eating or talking.
Most people with this condition also have a dry cough. A dry cough means you do not cough up any mucus or sputum.
Over time, weight loss, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue are also present.
People with advanced ILD may have:
- Abnormal enlargement of the base of the fingernails (clubbing).
- Blue color of the lips, skin, or fingernails due to low blood oxygen levels (cyanosis).
What causes Interstitial lung disease?
The lungs contain tiny air sacs (alveoli), which is where oxygen is absorbed. These air sacs open up or expand with each breath.
The tissue around these air sacs is called the interstitium. In people with interstitial lung disease, this tissue becomes stiff or scarred, and the air sacs are not able to expand as much. As a result, not as much oxygen can get into your lungs, and therefore to your body.
Interstitial lung diseases can be broken down into two large groups:
- Those that have no known cause (idiopathic ILD).
- Those with an identifiable cause or that occur along with other diseases.
There are several types of idiopathic ILD. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common type. Less common types include:
- Acute interstitial pneumonitis (AIP).
- Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia or bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP).
- Desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP).
- Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP).
- Nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP).
- Respiratory bronchiolitis interstitial lung disease (RBILD).
There are dozens of different causes of ILD.
- Autoimmune diseases (in which the immune system attacks the body) such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoidosis, and scleroderma.
- Certain infections.
- Certain medications (such as bleomycin, amiodarone, methotrexate, gold, infliximab, etanercept).
- Radiation therapy to the chest to treat breast cancer, lymphoma, and other cancers.
- Working with or around asbestos, coal dust, cotton dust, and silica dust.
Cigarette smoking may increase the risk of developing some forms of ILD and may cause the disease to be more severe.
When to seek urgent medical care?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Interstitial lung disease?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Interstitial lung disease