Q: When all measures fail in acute exacerbation of idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (AE-IPF), lung transplant should be pursue aggressively as a last resort of salvage therapy..

A) True
B) False


Answer: B

Lung transplantation in IPF has sown good outcome only if its done as an elective process. It should not pursue as a salvage therapy in AE-IPF. It carries a very high mortality rate. Lately, some centers are using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridge to transplant (BTT) in AE-IPF, but data is still very thin. Ideally, all patients with IPF should undergo transplant evaluation while they are clinically at their baseline.


Reference: 

 Yusen RD, Edwards LB, Kucheryavaya AY, et al. The Registry of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation: Thirty-second Official Adult Lung and Heart-Lung Transplantation Report--2015; Focus Theme: Early Graft Failure. J Heart Lung Transplant 2015; 34:1264.