L2 - Interstitial Lung Diseases Flashcards
What can be seen on a spirogram that is indicative of a restrictive disease?
- A low FVC.
- A high FEV1:FVC ratio.
What type of lung disease is pulmonary fibrosis?
A restrictive lung disease.
What histological changes occur with pulmonary fibrosis?
- Scarring of lung parenchyma, usually after inflammation.
List 2 causes of widespread pulmonary fibrosis.
1 - Drugs.
2 - Carcinomatosis (metastasis of a carcinoma).
List 4 causes of upper pulmonary fibrosis.
1 - TB.
2 - Ankylosing spondylitis.
3 - Sarcoidosis (formation of lumps of inflammatory cells called granulomas).
4 - Extrinsic allergic alveolitis.
List 2 causes of lower pulmonary fibrosis.
1 - Connective tissue disease.
2 - Occupational.
List the clinical features of pulmonary fibrosis.
1 - Dry cough.
2 - Fine end inspiratory crepitations.
3 - Dyspnoea.
What might be visible on a chest x-ray of a patient with pulmonary fibrosis that would not be seen in a healthy patient?
Reticular shadowing and honeycombing.
What is the drug treatment of pulmonary fibrosis?
- Pirfenidone or nintendanib.
- If the cause is an autoimmune disease, treatment will involve immunosuppression.
What causes extrinsic allergic alveolitis?
Inhalation of organic particles.
List 3 subtypes extrinsic allergic alveolitis and give the allergen that causes them.
1 - Farmer’s lung (hay fungi).
2 - Bird fancier’s lung (bird proteins).
3 - Mushroom worker’s lung (various fungi).
Describe the pathophysiology of extrinsic allergic alveolitis.
- Antibody formation (precipitins).
- T cell sensitisation.
- Leads to type 3 / type 4 hypersensitivity lung damage.
What is the drug treatment for sarcoidosis?
Steroids.
What is vasculitis?
Inflammation of blood vessels.
List 2 examples of vasculitis.
1 - Wegener’s granulomatosis.
2 - Goodpasture’s disease.
