Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP) are the most common forms of chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial pneumonia of unknown origin.
The clinical course of IPF is complicated and the prognosis is poor, with a median survival of 3-5 years from diagnosis. Although early diagnosis and treatment can relieve symptoms and slow disease progression, there is currently no cure for IPF, and patients eventually succumb to respiratory failure.
Because of the insidious onset and progression of IPF, diagnosis is often challenging and is often one of exclusion.
Three important lung diseases that are included in the differential diagnosis of IPF can assist interdisciplinary care teams in the exclusion process, facilitating prompt and accurate diagnosis and ensuring best patient outcomes. This has become especially important since the advent of 2 antifibrotic medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of IPF.
Can you identify IPF from other conditions in the differential diagnosis? Test yourself with this short quiz.
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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Guy W. Soo Hoo. Fast Five Quiz: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Differential Diagnosis - Medscape - Nov 20, 2019.
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