Definition:
Interstitial Lung Disease refers to a cluster of lung disorders. It usually involves certain lung areas like the tissues of the alveoli, basement membrane (structures supporting overlying epithelial and endothelial cells), pulmonary capillary endothelium, perilymphatic and perivascular tissues. The term Interstitial Lung Disease is used to make a distinction of the disease classified as belonging to this group from obstructive airway ailments. Although the majority of diseases in this group include fibrosis in the later stage, the term pulmonary fibrosis is completely disregarded in identifying this disease.
Diagnosis:
Chest X-ray, blood testing, pulmonary function testing and high-resolution CT thorax are some of the fundamental investigations that aid in diagnosis of ILD.
Treatment:
Since Interstitial Lung Disease is not a solitary disorder, each disease is treated separately. There is no uniform treatment for this group of lung ailment.
If the disease is caused by long-term exposure to a toxin or pollutant, non-exposure would be recommended. The same thing goes when the disease is drug-induced, taking that drug need to be discontinued.
Most of the time prednisolone is given to treat ILD, which are caused by connective tissue disorders and those that are considered as idiopathic.
Symptoms and Signs:
Although Interstitial Lung Disease refers to a wide variety of lung diseases, the early manifestations of each disease is quite similar. Like most diseases affecting the lungs, difficulty in breathing especially after performing an activity and a dry cough is perceptible during the initial onset of the disease.
Causes:
Determining the cause of injury to the lung tissue is not easy because of the variety of causable factors that may contribute to the development of the disease. Possible causes of Interstitial Lung Disease may include long-term exposure to occupational and environmental toxins, infections, radiations, drugs, connective tissue disorders, and malignancy. There are also ILD cases, which have are considered as Idiopathic or no known cause, while some are drug-stimulated causes.
The information on this site is for research purposes only and can not substitute for the advice of a medical professional. Ailments.com is not run by doctors and does not engage in the practice of medicine. Our site is not a medical authority, it is just a research tool for you to use in preparation for consulting with a doctor. We can not guarantee our information is accurate or up to date. Even if a statement made about a medical condition is accurate, it may not apply to you or your symptoms, so you should always consult a doctor. Nothing on our site should be construed as an attempt to offer or render a medical opinion or otherwise engage in the practice of medicine.
