Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease: features at admission to a tertiary pulmonology unit

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and systemic sclerosis-interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) are chronic fibrotic disorders that, despite sharing common profibrotic pathways, display differences in epidemilogy and clinical presentation. Objective: To investigate features of IPF and SSc-ILD patients admitted to a tertiary pulmonology unit for a recent onset/worsening dyspnea. Methods: Fourty-one IPF and 39 SSc-ILD patients visited over 1 year were investigated for lung function and comorbidities frequently associated with both conditions. Results: As expected, SSc-ILD were predominantly females and younger (median 61 vs 73 years old, p Conclusion: Despite differences in epidemilogical and clinical features, patients with SSc-ILD and IPF share common functional features at presentation.