Interstitial lung disease

What is ILD
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a disease that occurs when scar tissue forms in the interstitium – the space between the lungs' air sacs (alveoli). The process that leads to interstitial lung disease begins when the tissue of the lungs is damaged and the walls of the alveoli become inflamed. Sometimes this inflammation heals, but when it doesn't it can lead to scarring (fibrosis) in the space between the air sacs. This in turn causes the lungs to become stiff and prevents them from properly transporting oxygen. The level of injury and discomfort associated with ILD depends on the amount of scarring.
The term ILD is used to distinguish these diseases from obstructive airways diseases. Prolonged ILD may result in pulmonary fibrosis, but this is not always the case. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is one form of "interstitial lung disease".

Causes of Interstitial Lung Disease
There are more than 100 known causes of interstitial lung disease. They include, among others:
. Exposure to asbestos
. Infections
. Drug reactions
. Heart failure
.Sarcoidosis (formation of granulomas [inflamed cells] that can attack the lungs)
. Radiation (from cancer treatment)
. Connective tissue/collagen diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, etc.)
. Genetics (this is rare)
. Allergic reactions (one common example is "farmer's lung," a reaction to moldy hay)

Symptoms
Some signs of the disease are shortness of breath, labored breathing, a persistent dry cough, chest pain, wheezing and fingernails that curve over the tops of your fingers. Symptoms of ILD lung disease typically worsen with time.
Investigation is tailored towards the symptoms and signs. Most patients have blood testing, chest x-ray, pulmonary function testing, and high resolution CT thorax. A lung biopsy is required if the clinical history and imaging are not clearly suggestive of a specific diagnosis or malignancy cannot otherwise be ruled out.

Treatment
ILD is not a single disease, but encompasses many different pathological processes. Hence treatment is different for each disease. If a specific occupational exposure cause is found, the person should avoid that environment. If a drug cause is suspected, that drug should be discontinued.
There is no cure for ILD lung disease, but doctors often prescribe treatment like oxygen therapy, corticosteroid drugs to reduce lung inflammation and medications like bosentan and pirfenidone to help prevent scarring
The rate at which a case of interstitial lung disease will progress is unpredictable, but as it does, the affected lung tissue gets thicker, scars and leads to difficulty breathing. Some forms of ILD can be treated with medication (for inflammation), but to alleviate breathing problems oxygen is often required. By working closely with your doctor, you should be able to determine which treatments are most appropriate for your case.