Lesser known ILDs
What is RA-ILD?
RA-ILD stands for rheumatoid arthritis interstitial lung disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition affecting mostly the small joints of the hands, but can also affect other organs of the body such as the lungs. It is an autoimmune condition…
Oxygen therapy in interstitial lung disease
A very important discussion to have with patients who suffer from various forms of interstitial lung diseases is around supplementary oxygen. Main points to consider: 1. We should request an ambulatory oxygen assessment in all patients with a DLCO value…
How to diagnose IPF when autoimmune abnormalities are present?
How to diagnose idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) when autoimmune screening reveals the presence of autoantibodies? Atypical presentations of IPF can be relatively common and interpreting the results of autoimmune screening when no connective tissue disease features are present can be…
Classification of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs)
In this short video I present the 2013 ATS/ERS classification of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs). IIPs are interstitial lung diseases where the cause is not known. The best known IIP is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), although there are a few…
What is the normal BAL fluid differential cell count?
In this short video I present the normal differential cell count for bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid according to the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2012 clinical practice guideline (in nonsmokers). The BAL fluid differential cell count is very useful in the…
