Reflux in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: treatment informed by an integrated approach

What is it about?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a scarring lung condition with limited treatments available. It can be rapidly fatal and the underlying cause is poorly understood. As a team of respiratory physicians and gastro-intestinal surgeons, we studied reflux moving from the stomach into the oesophagus (food-pipe) in 36 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We also assessed whether stomach contents might be climbing up into the throat and then spilling over into the lungs (aspiration) and contributing to the lung disease. We identified a subgroup of IPF patients who had clear evidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux and aspiration. Given the multidisciplinary nature of the study team, we were also able to evaluate the most appropriate treatments to use for this select patient group. There has been a push towards surgical treatment in this group recently, but we demonstrated that only a small minority will be appropriate for surgical intervention.

Featured Image