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…
Surviving IPF Is More than Enduring Its Physical Impact
The European IPF registry offers important insights into the characteristics, care management, and outcomes of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients in Europe, a study reports. Data from the registry showed that the most common symptoms reported by IPF patients are breathing difficulties, fatigue, and a dry cough, according to the…
A plant-based medicine called quercetin reversed pulmonary fibrosis in a mouse model likely by reducing the burden of growth-arrested and fibrosis-promoting cells, called senescent cells, in the animals’ lungs, researchers report. Findings were published in the study, “Quercetin enhances ligand-induced apoptosis in senescent IPF fibroblasts and reduces lung…
As a young person living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), I am scared of many things. However, I don’t get into the habit of voicing my fears of what this disease is ultimately going to cost me, but sometimes, I must talk about them. There is a lot…
Laparoscopic surgery in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients with acid reflux is safe and well-tolerated, but does not appear to significantly ease the decline in respiratory function that’s thought to be aggravated by reflux, according to a Phase 2 study. The research, “Laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery for…
Surgery for lung cancer should be carefully considered in patients who also have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), because it is associated with poor outcomes, a study shows. The study, “Survival after repeated surgery for lung cancer with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a retrospective study,” was published in the journal…
Tiny extracellular vesicles that carry information from one cell to another may contribute to the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by carrying molecules involved in the disease, a study has found. The study, “Increased Extracellular Vesicles Mediate WNT-5A Signaling in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis,” was published in the…
Most of us receive our medical care from our primary care doctor or a local pulmonologist. However helpful they may be, they don’t know everything about the rare disease that we have. Four years ago, the first pulmonologist I saw told me I had a few months to…
Lung cancer and acute exacerbations are significant predictors of mortality in patients with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema, according to researchers. Their study, “Presence of lung cancer and high gender, age, and physiology score as predictors of acute exacerbation in combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema: A…
Any chronic illness diagnosis is scary and confusing. It is a time filled with an abundance of emotions that are difficult to navigate. Unfortunately, these emotions don’t exist only for the first few months after a diagnosis, but rather they remain ever-present as a patient learns to live…
