Comorbidities in interstitial lung diseases

Fibrosing lung disorders include a large number of diseases with diverse behaviour. Patients can die because of the progression of their illness, remain stable or even improve after appropriate treatment has been instituted. Comorbidities, such as acute and chronic infection, gastro-oesophageal reflux, pulmonary hypertension, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and obstructive sleep apnoea, can pre-exist or develop at any time during the course of the disease and, if unidentified and untreated, may impair quality of life, impact upon the respiratory status of the patients, and ultimately lead to disease progression and death. Therefore, early identification and accurate treatment of comorbidities is essential.