The diagnosis and management of interstitial lung diseases

#### The bottom line The interstitial lung diseases comprise a complex group of pulmonary disorders principally affecting the pulmonary interstitium. The group includes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, and connective tissue disease associated interstitial lung disease. #### Sources and selection criteria We carried out an electronic search of Medline and Embase for relevant original papers and systematic reviews using the search terms “pulmonary fibrosis”, “interstitial lung disease”, and “diffuse parenchymal lung disease”, prioritising those published from 2010. Relevant articles from the Cochrane databases and personal references were also included. Recent years have witnessed an expansion of research studies, large randomised controlled trials, and novel treatments in interstitial lung diseases with the potential to change the treatment landscape for patients. For some patients the aim will be to control symptoms, whereas for others it may be possible to stabilise disease or even achieve remission. The aim of this review is to highlight the salient features in the history and examination that can suggest a specific interstitial lung disease, and …