Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)
Patient Condition
The patient sought medical treatment due to dry cough for 6 months and difficulty breathing after exercise. No history of smoking and no history of environmental exposure. HRCT showed mainly reticular shadows and honeycomb changes on the periphery of both lungs, consistent with UIP pattern. Lung function: FVC 65% predicted, DLCO 50% predicted. 6MWD 380m, mMRC score 2. IPF was confirmed by transbronchial frozen lung biopsy.
Treatment Timeline
| Phase | Details | Date |
|---|---|---|
| diagnosis and staging | ||
| treatment initiation | ||
| Standardized treatment (months 1-12) | ||
| Maintenance treatment (Months 13-18) |
Treatment Outcome
| before | FVC accounts for 65% of predicted value, DLCO accounts for 50% of predicted value, 6MWD 380m, mMRC score 2, GAP score 3 (Phase I) |
|---|---|
| after | After 18 months of treatment, FVC accounted for 61% of the predicted value (annual decline rate was approximately 2.2%), DLCO accounted for 46% of the predicted value, 6MWD was 390m, and mMRC score was level 2. Early intervention has significant results |
| highlight | The annual rate of decline in FVC in patients with early IPF treated with Nintedanib was only 2.2%, much lower than the natural course, and early diagnosis and timely treatment were key |