The Spectrum of Interstitial Lung Disease in a Tertiary Care Center in South India

Abstract Background and Objective: Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogeneous group of diseases resulting in inflammation and fibrosis of lung parenchyma and they are on a rising trend nowadays. An ILD registry offers an opportunity to understand disease patterns, standardize care, and provide relevant longitudinal data. There is an unmet need for studies on the epidemiology of ILDs from South India. This study aims to find out the clinical spectrum of ILD in a tertiary care center in South India. Materials and Methods: This is an observational epidemiological study conducted for 1 year at a tertiary care center in Kerala including a sample size of 100 patients with a diagnosis of ILD. A thorough clinical history and examination combined with high-resolution computed tomography imaging and relevant blood investigations including autoimmune serology was done in all patients. Lung biopsy was done in patients with persisting diagnostic uncertainty. The diagnosis was made according to the ATS–ERS consensus on idiopathic interstitial pneumonias after discussing cases at an ILD multidisciplinary meeting. Results: Among the 100 patients studied, females were more common. The most common etiological diagnosis was connective tissue disease-related ILD (CTD ILD) in 35% followed by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in 22%. The most common radiological pattern was IPF. Histopathological diagnosis was obtained in 7% of cases. Conclusion: CTD ILD was the most common ILD in our center. A comprehensive evaluation should be done in all cases of ILDs to look for underlying CTDs.