In autumn and winter, respiratory diseases are more common, and many people may experience symptoms such as dry cough and shortness of breath. Usually people think these are related to colds or pneumonia, but it may be related to another underlying disease, which is interstitial lung disease. It will quietly invade the lungs, ultimately leading to irreversible damage to lung function. As the physical examination season approaches, Meng Juan, chief physician of the Rheumatology and Immunology Department at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, reminded in an interview with China News Health that if CT reports show words such as ground glass opacities, inflammatory changes, fibrosis changes, and multiple systemic symptoms such as joint pain, vigilance is needed. What is interstitial lung disease? Interstitial lung disease is actually a pathological change in the tissue structure of the lungs. ”Meng Juan explained that the lungs include the trachea and alveoli, surrounded by interstitial components that can cause interstitial lung disease if they become diseased. This type of disease has diverse causes, among which immune system abnormalities are one of the important triggers. When the immune system is disrupted and attacks its own tissues as "enemies", it may trigger interstitial lung disease related to connective tissue disease. That is to say, one's own components are not recognized by oneself, leading to self injury and damage to the lung interstitium. ”The early symptoms of interstitial lung disease that are easily mistaken for a cold are often not obvious and are easily overlooked or misdiagnosed. The most common initial symptoms of patients are dry cough and shortness of breath after physical activity. Many patients may mistake it for a cold or common infection, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Many patients have multiple medical records, initially treated as a cold, but later found that conventional treatment was ineffective. It was not until the high-resolution CT scan of the lungs was completed that interstitial lung disease was discovered. ”Meng Juan emphasized that the diagnosis of this disease mainly relies on high-resolution CT of the lungs. Through CT imaging, doctors can distinguish between interstitial pneumonia mainly characterized by inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis mainly characterized by fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis refers to the hardening of the lungs. ”Meng Juan vividly said, "It's a bit like honeycomb briquette, we call it honeycomb like change. At this time, the lungs are full of holes, and patients will have cough, shortness of breath, dyspnea and other symptoms, which seriously affect the quality of life." Middle aged and elderly people need to be alert that interstitial lung disease is more common in middle-aged and elderly people, while connective tissue disease related interstitial lung disease has a large difference in incidence rate due to different disease types. Meng Juan emphasized that for patients diagnosed with connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, etc., special attention should be paid to the possibility of interstitial lung disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is not only a joint disease, but also an autoimmune disease that can affect multiple systems throughout the body, with the lungs being one of the important target organs. She reminds that when patients experience symptoms of multiple systems, such as both lung manifestations and special rashes (such as rough rashes on the side of the fingers in "skilled hands"), joint symptoms, etc., connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease should be considered. The treatment of interstitial lung disease requires a 'dual approach', treating both connective tissue disease and interstitial lung disease, which we call 'dual targets'. ”Meng Juan introduced that immunotherapy can control the primary disease and delay the progression of lung disease, while for patients who have already developed fibrosis, anti fibrotic drugs need to be added. It is worth noting that without standardized treatment, the five-year survival rate of about 50% of patients will decrease. The severity of the disease directly affects the quality of life and lifespan of patients. Meng Juan stated that if medical treatment is only sought at the end of the disease, the cost of treatment will significantly increase due to an increase in complications. The appearance of these words in CT reports should be taken seriously. Due to the involvement of multiple systems in interstitial lung disease, especially immune related interstitial lung disease, there are limitations in the diagnosis and treatment of a single department. For this reason, medical institutions such as Beijing Chaoyang Hospital have established specialized clinics for interstitial lung disease. The original intention of establishing specialized disease clinics is to better manage patients systematically, achieve early identification and intervention. ”Professor Meng Juan introduced that the specialized outpatient department integrates professional forces such as rheumatology and immunology, respiratory medicine, radiology, and pathology through a multidisciplinary collaboration model to provide diagnosis and treatment services for patients. For those who are found to have lung abnormalities during physical examinations, Professor Meng Juan suggests that if CT reports show words such as ground glass opacities, inflammatory changes, fibrosis changes, etc., they should seek timely medical attention from the respiratory department. If there are multiple systemic symptoms such as joint pain, rheumatology and immunology departments also need to screen. ”She emphasized that diagnosed patients need regular follow-up: "Once a month in the early stages, and once every 3 months after the condition stabilizes. By regularly reviewing lung function and arranging CT scans as appropriate, closely monitor changes in the condition. ”Meng Juan reminds people, especially those at high risk of interstitial lung disease, to raise their awareness of the disease, seek medical attention promptly once relevant symptoms appear, and seize the best treatment opportunity. (New Society)