Clinical review: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - Past, present and future

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an important, and devastating, interstitial lung disease. It has a median mortality of only 3 years, worse than many cancers, and its incidence continues to rise. In this article, an overview of key developments in our understanding and clinical management of IPF will be provided. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.