CLINICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND SPIROMETRIC PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH DIFFUSE PARENCHYMAL LUNG DISEASE (DPLD): A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background:Diffuse parenchymal lung diseases (DPLDs), also called interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), refer to a wide range of different disorders. All of these conditions affect the lungs interstitium.Early diagnosis is critical but challenging due to overlapping clinical and radiological features.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical presentation, radiological patterns, and functional impairment in patients diagnosed withDPLD at a tertiary care center.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on patients diagnosed with DPLD at Santhiram medical college and general hospital. Clinical symptoms, radiological features (HRCT thorax), and functional parameters (spirometry, DLCO) were analyzed.

Conclusion: Most DPLD patients presented with exertional breathlessness and cough. UIP was the most common radiological pattern. Functional testing confirmed predominant restrictive defects, highlighting the importance of an integrated clinical-radiological-functional approach.