title: Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia: a clinicopathological perspective.
abstract: Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP) represents a diverse group of lung disorders with variable prognoses and responses to therapy. As the name implies, the etiology is unknown. In the more severe forms of IIP, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and acute interstitial pneumonia, no effective therapies have been identified. In this perspective, the spatiotemporal variability in the histopathology of these disorders is discussed. It is proposed that common etiologies or injurious agents may produce variable histopathological "reactions" in the lung due to complex interactions between the host (genetic/epigenetic factors, age) and environmental factors. Accurate clinical and biological phenotyping may be necessary to stratify or group patients who are most likely to respond to specific modes of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. vjt@umich.edu
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Thannickal
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents