Abstract

TABAJ, G; QUADRELLI, S; GRODNITZKY, L  and  SINAGRA, P. Quality of Life in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Rev. amer. med. respiratoria [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.3, pp.108-116. ISSN 1852-236X.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic disease that primarily affects adults from the fifth decade of life. It is characterized by progressive dyspnea, sustained functional decline and survival of less than three years after diagnosis. So far, the treatment has focused on improving survival, but for many patients, an improvement in quality of life (QoL) is a more realistic goal. Despite the significant impact the disease has on physical, emotional and social features of the patient's life, research focused on QoL is very limited. Currently, there are no fully validated instruments appropriate for the specific evaluation of QoL in patients with IPF. Generic measurement tools used in patients with IPF include the WHO 100 items instrument (WHOQOL-100), the quality scale of well-being (QWB) and the 36 items instrument (SF-36), but none of them was designed specifically for patients with IPF. In the reviewed studies, patients with IPF showed impairment of the health related QoL in almost all aspects of life, but those related to physical functioning, symptoms and levels of independence were the most affected ones. More research is needed to learn about how this disease affects IPF patients, whether they adapt themselves to their disease over time, and if so, how. Furthermore, research needs to show whether the QoL measurement tools available are reliable and valid measures for health related QoL over time among patients with IPF.

Keywords : Quality of life; Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

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