Genetic blood profile predicts survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Researchers are reporting identification of a group of 52 genes in the blood that can help doctors accurately predict survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), an incurable disease in which the tissue deep in the lungs becomes thick and scarred over time. The disease, which is hard to diagnose, usually affects middle-aged and older adults.  Having such a tool could help improve management of the disease in these patients, including prioritizing patients for lung transplants.  The study, partly funded by NHLBI, was published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.