Making a confident diagnosis is a complex task for a specific form of interstitial lung disease and providing appropriate management in an attempt to achieve normalization of the disease can put up an alarming process for the clinicians. A set of diffuse and restrictive lung diseases incorporate with idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, showing inflammation and fibrosis of the interstitium due t...

Abstract: Systemic sclerosis is a rare connective tissue disease categorized by extensive lung fibrosis, vascular and immunologic abnormalities. Autoimmune antibodies like anticentromere, anti-Scl-70 (anti-topoisomerase I), anti-RNA polymerase II are commonly involved in progressive disease. Clinical presentations consist of Raynaud’s phenomenon, digital ulcers; pericardial effusion, telangiect...

Pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) is a newly described form of interstitial lung disease that originates in the upper lung zones and typically progresses to involve the entire lung. The disease may be idiopathic but is often associated with other pre- or coexisting conditions. Pneumothorax is a common complication and can occur at presentation or at other times during the course of the di...

Polymyositis is a rare collagen disease that can involve the lungs. Between 5% and 30% of patients with polymyositis present interstitial lung disease at diagnosis or during the course of disease. Onset is usually insidious and involves dyspnea and nonproductive cough. Several histopathological findings are associated with polymyositis and the most common is nonspecific interstitial pneumonia. ...

Interstitial lung diseases are heterogeneous entities with diverse clinical presentations. Among them, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease are specific categories that pulmonologists are most likely to encounter in the clinical field. Despite the accumulated data from extensive clinical trial and observations, we continue to have many...

Interstitial lung diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders that affect, to a greater or lesser degree, the alveolus, peripheral airway, and septal interstitium. Functional assessment in patients suspected of having an interstitial lung disease has implications for diagnosis and makes it possible to objectively analyze both response to treatment and prognosis. Recently the clinical value ...

Timolol maleate is a non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent with demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma. A 76 year old female who presented with productive cough, progressive dyspnea and hypoxia after starting timolol maleate opthalamic drops following glaucoma surgery. The patient was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease secondary to timolol treatment ...

Interstitial lung disease is a common complication of many of the connective tissue diseases. Because the prognosis, degree of reversibility, and optimal therapy differs for each disease presentation, a thorough knowledge of the pulmonary presentations of each connective tissue disease is important. Additionally, the challenge of finding the patient who has occult connective tissue disease in a...