title: Blood Biomarkers in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.
abstract: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and lethal lung disease of unknown origin whose incidence has been increasing over the latest decade partly as a consequence of population ageing. New anti-fibrotic therapy including pirfenidone and nintedanib have now proven efficacy in slowing down the disease. Nevertheless, diagnosis and follow-up of IPF remain challenging.
  
  
  
  This review examines the recent literature on potentially useful blood molecular and cellular biomarkers in IPF. Most of the proposed biomarkers belong to chemokines (IL-8, CCL18), proteases (MMP-1 and MMP-7), and growth factors (IGBPs) families. Circulating T cells and fibrocytes have also gained recent interest in that respect. Up to now, though several interesting candidates are profiling there has not been a single biomarker, which proved to be specific of the disease and predictive of the evolution (decline of pulmonary function test values, risk of acute exacerbation or mortality).
  
  
  
  Large scale multicentric studies are eagerly needed to confirm the utility of these biomarkers.
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Department, CHU Liège, Domaine universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B4000, Liège, Belgium. J.Guiot@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7800-1730
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guiot
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Department, CHU Liège, Domaine universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moermans
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Department, CHU Liège, Domaine universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henket
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Department, CHU Liège, Domaine universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Corhay
authors.affiliation: Pneumology Department, CHU Liège, Domaine universitaire du Sart-Tilman, B35, B4000, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Louis
mesh_terms: D056151:Airway Remodeling; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D054990:Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D018925:Chemokines; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
keywords: Biomarkers; Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Interstitial lung disease; Pulmonary fibrosis