Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, clinical features in Thai patients.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA) is the most common type of chronic diffuse parenchymal lung disease. We identified twenty patients who were diagnosed with this disease in Phramongkutklao Hospital. Clinical features of these patients were reported. All presented with dyspnea and the severity of dyspnea was grade 3-4 in 14 patients (70%). Every patient had bilateral basilar crackles on auscultation. The median survival time of newly diagnosed IPF in this study was only 16 months. Comparison of Thai patients with those of other reports from Western countries showed differences in severity of dyspnea and the median survival time.