Therapeutic advances in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis — Fraser 2016

A median life expectancy of 2-4 years is associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which is characterized by the gradual deposition of scar tissue in the lung. Up until recently, the only available treatments were palliative care, transplantation, poor anti-inflammatory medicine, and trial recruiting. Two novel anti-fibrotic drugs, pirfenidone and nintedanib, have been developed as a result of substantial recent developments in the field and have been demonstrated to dramatically decrease IPF disease progression. This article discusses the method to managing IPF, the function of specialized centers, and the interstitial lung disease multidisciplinary review. It also examines the trial data and real-world implications of using these anti-fibrotic medications.

Fraser E, Hoyles RK. Therapeutic advances in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Clin Med (Lond). 2016 Feb;16(1):42-51. doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.16-1-42. PMID: 26833513; PMCID: PMC4954329.