Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) incidence and prevalence in Italy.

Background: Studies of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) epidemiology show regional variations of incidence and prevalence; no epidemiological studies have been carried out in Italy.

Objective: To determine incidence and prevalence rates of IPF in the population of a large Italian region.

Methods: in this cross-sectional study study data were collected on all patients of 18 years of age and older admitted as primary or secondary idiopathic fibrosing alveolitis (ICD9-CM 516.

Predicting survival in newly diagnosed idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a 3-year prospective study.

The natural history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is not well defined and its clinical course is variable. We sought to investigate the survival and incidence of acute exacerbations (AEs) and their significant predictors in newly diagnosed patients. 70 patients newly diagnosed with IPF were prospectively followed for at least 3 yrs.