Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39751999›Full record

ReviewLung2025

Diagnostic Application of Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Analysis in Cases of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in which Diagnosis Cannot Be Confirmed by High-Resolution Computed Tomography.

Boyi Chen, Zhefeng Leng, Jianhui Zhang, Xuefei Shi, Shunli Dong, Bin Wang

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Lung, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Boyi ChenDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Huzhou Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Huzhou, People's Republic of China.
Zhefeng LengDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Fifth School of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang, Huzhou Central Hospital, Chinese Medical University, Huzhou, People's Republic of China.
Jianhui ZhangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Affiliated Central Hospital Huzhou University, Huzhou, People's Republic of China.
Xuefei ShiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Huzhou Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Huzhou, People's Republic of China. shixuefei1223@aliyun.com.
Shunli DongDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Huzhou Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Huzhou, People's Republic of China. dongshunli@hzhospital.com.
Bin WangDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Affiliated Huzhou Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Huzhou, People's Republic of China. wangbin@hzhospital.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrotic lung disorder characterized by dry cough, fatigue, and exacerbated dyspnea. The prognosis of IPF is notably unfavorable, becoming extremely poor when the disease advances acutely. Effective therapeutic intervention is essential to mitigate disease progression; hence, early diagnosis and treatment are paramount. When high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) reveals usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), a diagnosis of IPF can be established. However, when HRCT fails to conclusively confirm IPF, the diagnostic pathway becomes intricate and necessitates a multidisciplinary approach involving clinicians, radiologists, and pathologists. Consequently, the objective of this study was to investigate new diagnostic approaches through bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) analysis.

methodsBAL is a commonly utilized diagnostic tool for interstitial lung diseases. We review the application of bronchoalveolar lavage (BALF) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrotic disease, emphasizing that the cellular and solute composition of the lower respiratory tract offers valuable insights.

resultsThis review delineates the advancements in diagnosing IPF cases that remain indeterminate via HRCT, leveraging BALF analysis. In contrast to surgical lung biopsy, BAL is minimally invasive and offers potential diagnostic utility through the identification of specific BALF biomarkers.

conclusionAugment the clinical diagnostic armamentarium for IPF, particularly in scenarios where HRCT findings are inconclusive.

Indexed as

Bronchoalveolar Lavage FluidIdiopathic Pulmonary FibrosisTomography, X-Ray ComputedBiomarkersHumansLungBiomarkersBronchoalveolar lavage fluidDiagnosisIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.