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Fibrosing interstitial lung diseases include a large group of about 150 pathologies, most of which are rare, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, fibrosing interstitial lung diseases associated with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis (SSc), fibrosing interstitial lung diseases associated with mixed connective tissue disease, nonspecific idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and unclassified idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. The most frequent is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The common feature of these pathologies is the risk of pulmonary fibrosis, i.e. the irreversible formation of scar tissue in the lungs, which compromises lung function. We discuss this with Prof. Sergio Harari, Director of the Pulmonology Operating Unit, San Giuseppe Hospital, Milan, University of Milan.