Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a type of interstitial lung disease (ILD) classified under idiopathic fibrotic disorders of the lung. It is the most common type of ILD presenting clinically in the seventh decade of life, almost always at the later stage of illness, attributed to its earlier nonspecific presentation. The term IPF is used when no specific cause for pulmonary fibrosis is identified. Initially described in 1944, recent advances in lung biopsy and pathology have described the disease in detail. This led to further classification of ILD. Also, there have been multiple recent studies indicative of an increased incidence. However, accurate epidemiological data for IPF is minimal, with some being contradictory. Inconsistency in the case definition criteria and methodology has resulted in epidemiological inaccuracy when used to detect patients in the study population. To avoid inaccuracy American Thoracic Society collaborated with the European, Japanese, and Latin American Thoracic Society to arrive at a consensus resulting in 2010 IPF evidence-based guidelines. Notable epidemiological differences are observed in the European, American, and Asian countries. Some countries have set up national registries to collect essential patient data for future studies and comparison with other countries. In this topic, we try to glean over the epidemiology of IPF.