Introduction:

Interstitial lung diseases are a very heterogeneous group of conditions that have common clinical, radiological and functional manifestations. Its epidemiology is partially documented and its etiology is very varied. The diagnosis is based on the clinic, high resolution computed tomography and, in some cases, histology.

Objectives:

to describe the population of patients diagnosed with interstitial lung disease assisted at the Hospital Pasteur Polyclinic for Interstitiopathies in the period between May 5, 2017 and May 17, 2019.

Materials and methods:

Descriptive, observational and cross. Convenience sampling was used. The variables analyzed were: age, sex, comorbidities, etiology, predominant tomographic pattern, respiratory function (6-minute walk test and forced spirometry with monoxide diffusion) and instituted treatment. Informed consent was obtained and the work was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Pasteur Hospital.

Results:

20 of the 42 assisted patients were carriers of interstitial lung disease. Female sex predominated (14 patients, 70%). The mean age was 60 ± 16.84 years. The most frequent comorbidity was smoking (13 patients, 65%). Environmental or occupational risk exposures were identified in 6 patients (30%). The etiology was determined in 15 patients (75%), being associated with systemic autoimmune diseases in 10 patients (50%) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in 3 patients (15%). Most (11 patients, 55%) had nonspecific tomographic patterns. 94.11% had a restrictive pattern in the functional respiratory study, with moderate to severe restriction prevailing. The average monoxide diffusion was 47.25 ± 16.71%. 11 patients (55%) were treated with systemic corticosteroids and 2 patients required oxygen permanently.

Conclusions:

The demographic characteristics, etiology, tomographic patterns and instituted treatment are influenced by a selection bias, since a high proportion of patients are derived from polyclinics for systemic autoimmune diseases. Comprehensive management of these patients is essential because the association with other diseases that may contribute to the symptoms is frequent. The interstitial lung diseases found are mostly severe and late diagnosed.

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