What Is Usual Interstitial Pneumonia?
Usual interstitial pneumonia is a type of lung disease in which patches of inner lung tissue become inflamed and scarred. The condition tends to progress rapidly, causing irreparable lung damage in as little as one year after symptoms begin and ultimately leading to respiratory failure. Doctors may try to treat usual interstitial pneumonia with corticosteroids to ease inflammation, though the persistent disease spreads so quickly that a lung transplant is often necessary to prevent life-threatening complications. The lungs are filled with tiny air sacs, called alveoli, which expand and contract to oxygenate the bloodstream. Alveoli are lined and protected with a membranous tissue called the interstitium. Usual interstitial pneumonia begins when alveoli become inflamed, causing the interstitium to harden. The interstitium stiffens further as the disease progresses, eventually leading to scarring and significantly reducing the lungs’ ability to oxygenate the blood.
