Pulmonary fibrolysis in a patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: improvement of clinical and radiological pattern after treatment with pirfenidone.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial pneumonia associated with the histologic and/or radiologic pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP). Nowadays, the high-resolution computed tomography pattern of "definite UIP" is enough to define a diagnosis of UIP without histological proof. This is pivotal especially in elderly patients with comorbidities. Early recognition of IPF is relevant for its prognostic implication. Some pharmacological strategies have been proposing novel molecules that tend to slow lung function decline, even though without healing fibrosis. We report a case of ex-heavy smoker male with IPF showing clinical and radiological improvement after 11 months of treatment with Pirfenidone. The definite diagnosis was challenging and it was reached by a multidisciplinary approach.
Cardio-Thoracic Department, Pulmonology Unit, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Francesco
F
Varone
Cardio-Thoracic Department, Pulmonology Unit, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Annelisa
A
Mastrobattista
Department of Bioimaging and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Paola
P
Franchi
Cardio-Thoracic Department, Pulmonology Unit, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Luca
L
Viglietta
Department of Diseases of the Thorax, GB Morgagni Hospital, Forlì, Italy.|Department Respiratory Diseases & Allergology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.
Venerino
V
Poletti
Department of Diseases of the Thorax, GB Morgagni Hospital, Forlì, Italy.
Sara
S
Tomassetti
Pathology Unit, GB Morgagni Hospital, Forlì, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Dubini
Cardio-Thoracic Department, Pulmonology Unit, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Linda
L
Tagliaboschi
Department of Bioimaging and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Lucio
L
Calandriello
Department of Bioimaging and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Farchione
Department of Bioimaging and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy.
Anna Rita
AR
Larici
D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011728:Pyridones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D011728:Pyridones; C093844:pirfenidone
high-resolution computed tomography; honeycombing; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; multidisciplinary team; pirfenidone