Approaches in Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Questionnaire Study

Objective: As Turkish Respiratory Society Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Diseases-Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Study Group (TRS DPLD-PVD SG), we aimed to demonstrate the approaches of physicians with a questionnaire toward the patients with IPF in our country.

Methods: An invitation letter including a questionnaire with 24 questions to assess the approaches they prefer in the patients with IPF and the capabilities of the departments they work at and a link for the questionnaire was directed to the mail groups of chest diseases and thoracic surgery specialists. Responses of the physicians who participated in the questionnaire were reviewed.

Results: Thirty percent of the participants saw less than 5 patients with IPF in a year and 16.8% of them saw more than 21. 66.3% of participants stated that anamnesis, symptoms and clinical findings along with typical radiologic findings would be sufficient for the diagnosis, while 27.7% suggested that pathological findings should indicate IPF along with clinic and radiologic ones.When the methods used for tissue sampling were viewed; application rates of bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsy, thoracoscopic biopsy and open lung biopsy were found very close to one another.In the patients with the suspected disease of IPF, the fields in which the hesitation was the most problematic were respectively pathological examination of biopsies (73.2%) and interpretation of radiologic findings (49.5%). 37.6% of the patients with diagnosis of IPF were directed to experienced centers; medical treatment and drugless follow-up rates were respectively 33.6% and 14.8%. Among the participants, 29.7% suggested lung transplantation for all cases while 48.5% only preferred this operation in particular ones.

Conclusion: Some of the results of our study is compatible with the guidelines of IPF, is to show that the quality of debate and confusion still continued in this regard.