Updated international guidelines to help clinicians diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were recently published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. These new 2018 clinical practice recommendations are the result of a collaborative effort between experts from four major respiratory societies — the American…
Experts Collaborate to Develop New International Guidelines for IPF Diagnosis
A new in vitro lung tissue-on-a-chip system mimics tissue stiffening in pulmonary fibrosis (PF), and offers an accurate and rapid way to test treatment candidates, according to a new study. The study, “Fibrotic microtissue array to predict anti-fibrosis drug efficacy,” was published in the journal Nature…
Following a life-threatening illness diagnosis, most patients learn to cope with their new reality in unique ways. Some patients seek professional help, such as counseling, for chronic illness coping strategies. Many patients lean on family and friends, while other patients learn to cope on their own through trial…
Lung cancer is more prevalent among men with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) than women, and affects smokers at a higher rate, according to a systematic review of published studies. Researchers also found that squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer reported in IPF patients. The study, “…
Lately, I’ve been dealing with some aches and pains. Although I try to get up and move around a lot, being sedentary has resulted in body aches, pain, and stiffness. I’ve come up with some solutions that have helped me. I hope they’ll help you, too. Pain on…
Modifying the dose of Esbriet (pirfenidone) can effectively reduce the number of treatment-related adverse events without affecting the drug’s potential to manage idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a new retrospective analysis of data from Phase 3 clinical trials shows. The findings of this recent post-hoc analysis were published in…
Following the diagnosis of a life-threatening lung disease like pulmonary fibrosis (PF), patients and their families often go through days, weeks, and sometimes months feeling confused, angry, and fearful. This diagnosis is emotionally shattering, and it is also mentally exhausting. It can feel like your mind is…
The idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) treatment candidate BBT-877 eased lung fibrosis (scarring) in a mouse model, according to South Korea-based Bridge Biotherapeutics. The company believes that BBT-877 may become the “best-in-class” medication for IPF. Data from a preclinical study on BBT-877 was presented at the 2nd Annual IPF…
A gene therapy designed to fight pulmonary fibrosis (PF) by extending the lifespan of lung cells has been found safe and does not cause or increase the risk of cancer in the lungs, despite some concerns to the contrary, a mouse study shows. Earlier this year, a research team at…
When you think of surviving idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), do you think only about the physical impact of this disease? I did, at least before my diagnosis in early 2016, when I learned the hard way that surviving a chronic illness is so much more than just the…
