What is the Difference Between Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis

The key difference between interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis is that an interstitial lung disease is a group of lung diseases that affect the interstitium of the lung and cause both lung scarring and inflammation, while pulmonary fibrosis is a type of interstitial lung disease that causes only lung scarring.

The interstitium is the network of tissue around the air sacs or alveolar in the lungs. In this region, oxygen and other gasses enter and leave the bloodstream. Interstitial lung disease is a group of lung diseases that affect this network of tissue called the interstitium. Examples of interstitial lung diseases include idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asbestosis, sarcoidosis, hypersensitivity, and pneumonitis.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Interstitial Lung Disease
3. What is Pulmonary Fibrosis
4. Similarities – Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis
5. Interstitial Lung Disease vs Pulmonary Fibrosis in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Interstitial Lung Disease vs Pulmonary Fibrosis

What is Interstitial Lung Disease?

Interstitial lung disease is a group of lung diseases that affect the interstitium of the lung and cause both lung scarring and inflammation. Interstitial lung disease can be caused by long-term exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos. Some types can also be caused by autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, in some cases, the cause of interstitial lung disease is unknown. The signs and symptoms may include breathing problems such as shortness of breath at rest or aggravated exertion, dry cough, lung scarring, and severe inflammation in the lungs (lung damage).

Moreover, interstitial lung disease can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, imaging tests (CT scan and echocardiogram), pulmonary function tests (spirometry and diffusion capacity and oximetry), and lung tissue analysis (bronchoscopy, bronchoalveolar lavage, and surgical biopsy). Interstitial lung disease can be treated through medications (corticosteroid creams, medications that slow down idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (pirfenidone and nintedanib), and medications that reduce stomach acid (Lansoprazole, omeprazole, and pantoprazole), oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and surgery (lung transplantation).

What is Pulmonary Fibrosis?

Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease where there is lung scarring. Because of this lung scarring, the lung becomes progressively smaller and stiffer. This makes it hard to breathe and eventually reduces the oxygen levels in the blood. The symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis may include shortness of breath, cough, finger clubbing (tips of the fingers that are rounded and swollen), tiredness or fatigue, unexplained weight loss, dry cough, and aching muscles and joints. The causes of pulmonary fibrosis may include occupational and environmental factors, radiation treatments, and medications such as chemotherapy drugs, heart medications, some antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Moreover, pulmonary fibrosis can be diagnosed through physical examination, chest X-ray, CT scan, echocardiogram, lung function tests, tissue biopsy (bronchoscopy and surgical biopsy), and blood tests. Furthermore, treatment options for pulmonary fibrosis include medications (pirfenidone and nintedanib), oxygen therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, and lung transplant.

What are the Similarities Between Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis?

• Both interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis cause lung scarring.
• Pulmonary fibrosis is a type of interstitial lung disease.
• In both cases, the interstitium of the lung is affected.
• Both of them can be diagnosed through physical examination, imaging tests, lung function tests, and tissue biopsies.
• They are treated through specific medications and surgeries.

What is the Difference Between Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis?

Interstitial lung disease is a group of lung diseases that affect the interstitium of the lung and cause both lung scarring and inflammation, while pulmonary fibrosis is a type of interstitial lung disease that causes only lung scarring. Thus, this is the key difference between interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis. Furthermore, interstitial lung disease is caused by long-term exposure to hazardous materials such as asbestos, autoimmune conditions, and unknown reasons. On the other hand, pulmonary fibrosis is caused by occupational and environmental factors, radiation treatments, and medications such as chemotherapy drugs, heart medications, some antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs.

The below infographic presents the differences between interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Interstitial Lung Disease vs Pulmonary Fibrosis

Interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis both cause lung scarring. Pulmonary fibrosis is an interstitial lung disease. An interstitial lung disease is a group of lung diseases that affect the interstitium of the lung and cause lung scarring and inflammation, while pulmonary fibrosis is a type of interstitial lung disease that causes only lung scarring. So, this summarises the difference between interstitial lung disease and pulmonary fibrosis.

Reference:

1. “Interstitial Lung Disease.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. “Pulmonary Fibrosis: What Is It, Causes, Symptoms, Testing & Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “2 SVH Lung Health Interstitial Lung Disease final 1080” By Anatomyclassproj1 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2.”IPF amiodarone” By James Heilman, MD – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia