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Suggest Treatment For Pulmonary Fibrosis In An Elderly Person
Question: Hello Doctors,
My father who is at 71 age has lung scaring and it is slowly progressive. PFT reports are visit-1 49%, visit-2 44%, visit-3 41% . After doing necessary tests the reason for lung scaring is unknown. He has been treated for 6 months with omnacortil 10mg. Father has continuous cough and shortness of breath.
My questions are
1. Whether lung scaring is curable ? If "yes", how to treat and recover from it .
2. How to recover from cough and shortness of breath ?
3. Please help me what to do next.
4. Whether my father health is in critical condition ?
Thanks
XXXX
My father who is at 71 age has lung scaring and it is slowly progressive. PFT reports are visit-1 49%, visit-2 44%, visit-3 41% . After doing necessary tests the reason for lung scaring is unknown. He has been treated for 6 months with omnacortil 10mg. Father has continuous cough and shortness of breath.
My questions are
1. Whether lung scaring is curable ? If "yes", how to treat and recover from it .
2. How to recover from cough and shortness of breath ?
3. Please help me what to do next.
4. Whether my father health is in critical condition ?
Thanks
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Better to start anti fibrotic and inhaled treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
I have gone through the image you have attached.
Answer to your 1st and 2nd question.
Your father seems to have NSIP (non specific interstitial pattern). This is type of interstitial lung disease.
And now a days newer and US FDA approved drug (perfinodone) is available for lung fibrosis. It has proven role in early stages of fibrosis. But can be given in later stages of fibrosis. However this drug doesn't have curative role.
Other recommended drugs are N acetyl cysteine (NAC) and inhaled treatment (inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroid). All these will help in lung scarring, coughing and breathlessness.
Answer to your 3rd question.
Follow up with PFT every three monthly and HRCT thorax every six monthly. Ideally lung biopsy is required to diagnose the type of lung fibrosis; but it's OK if you are not doing it because treatment options are limited for all fibrosis.
Answer to your fourth question.
Yes, his lung condition is serious health issue. It is progressive disease. Though newer drugs are available but medicines do not have curative role.
So discuss with your pulmonologist about starting above mentioned drugs in his case.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your father. Thanks.
Better to start anti fibrotic and inhaled treatment.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
I have gone through the image you have attached.
Answer to your 1st and 2nd question.
Your father seems to have NSIP (non specific interstitial pattern). This is type of interstitial lung disease.
And now a days newer and US FDA approved drug (perfinodone) is available for lung fibrosis. It has proven role in early stages of fibrosis. But can be given in later stages of fibrosis. However this drug doesn't have curative role.
Other recommended drugs are N acetyl cysteine (NAC) and inhaled treatment (inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroid). All these will help in lung scarring, coughing and breathlessness.
Answer to your 3rd question.
Follow up with PFT every three monthly and HRCT thorax every six monthly. Ideally lung biopsy is required to diagnose the type of lung fibrosis; but it's OK if you are not doing it because treatment options are limited for all fibrosis.
Answer to your fourth question.
Yes, his lung condition is serious health issue. It is progressive disease. Though newer drugs are available but medicines do not have curative role.
So discuss with your pulmonologist about starting above mentioned drugs in his case.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wishing good health to your father. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thank you doctor for your detailed explanation.
I have uploaded latest report of my father which is taken on Dec 28 2015.
Questions :
1. I have been misinformed , PFT for third visit is 31% (instead of 41%). How severe now the conditions of my father ?
2. Can you please cross check the recommended medicines are good to go ?
3. It is difficult for me to ask this , Based on the reports , How long my father will survive ? How much time he has got ? Is there a way to keep survival rate for a longer time ?
4. Whether lung transplant would be an option ?
Thanks
XXXX
I have uploaded latest report of my father which is taken on Dec 28 2015.
Questions :
1. I have been misinformed , PFT for third visit is 31% (instead of 41%). How severe now the conditions of my father ?
2. Can you please cross check the recommended medicines are good to go ?
3. It is difficult for me to ask this , Based on the reports , How long my father will survive ? How much time he has got ? Is there a way to keep survival rate for a longer time ?
4. Whether lung transplant would be an option ?
Thanks
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Yes, lung transplantation is an option.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your father is having very much reduced lung functions. And this is the reason for his severe breathlessness.
Yes, you should definitely start drugs mentioned in previous reply. No harm in it.
Usual survival rate for lung fibrosis is 1-2 years after diagnosis of fibrosis.
So probably he is having 1-2 years more.
And yes, lung transplantation is an option for Pulmonary fibrosis.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on XXXX
Wishing good health to your father. Thanks.
Yes, lung transplantation is an option.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your father is having very much reduced lung functions. And this is the reason for his severe breathlessness.
Yes, you should definitely start drugs mentioned in previous reply. No harm in it.
Usual survival rate for lung fibrosis is 1-2 years after diagnosis of fibrosis.
So probably he is having 1-2 years more.
And yes, lung transplantation is an option for Pulmonary fibrosis.
Hope I have solved your query. If you are not having further queries, then please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on XXXX
Wishing good health to your father. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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