Gender Differences in Clinical Presentation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To study gender differences in the clinical profile of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Study Setting: Institute of Chest Medicine, Mayo Hospital – A Tertiary Care Hospital affiliated to King Edward Medical University, Lahore.
Study Design: Prospective observational, evidence based study.
Material and Methods: Thirty two consecutive patients visiting Institute of Chest Medicine, who were diagnosed as idiopa-thic pulmonary fibrosis on the basis of history, physical signs, restrictive pulmonary functions and HRCT scan chest, were analyzed to study the clinical profile according to the gender.
Results: Amongst thirty two patients, 22 were females and 10 males with a mean age of 42.2 years and 49.6 years respec-tively. Breathlessness and dry cough were the most common symptoms. Arthralgia was present in 4.6% of females. Two of the males and one of the female were smoker. Results were analyzed according to symptoms, their duration and physical signs. There was no difference in clinical profile but there was an early presentation in 4th decade and preponderance of fema-les. The females dominated the males in age group 31 to 50 years with the ratio of 7.5 : 1.
Conclusion: No gender difference in clinical presentation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis but predominance in females. There is an early presentation in both genders, compared to the Western world.
Key Words: Gender differences, Age, cryptogenic Fibrosing Alveolitis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Restrictive pulmo-nary functions, High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) chest.