Familial interstitial lung disease in four members of one family: a case series

INTRODUCTION: Familial interstitial lung disease has been reported worldwide, mostly in Europe and North America; limited information is available on the disease among Arab patients. CASE PRESENTATION: A 45-year-old woman presented to our outpatient clinic with a 1-year history of progressive dyspnea. At the age of 37 years, based on clinical and radiological features, our patient was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. A family history showed that of five deceased siblings, four had died of disease of undetermined etiology. In addition, we screened other family members, and three were shown to have clinical, radiological, and pathological features consistent with interstitial pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Our report illustrates that younger age at presentation appears to be a common feature in patients with familial interstitial pneumonia. Otherwise, clinical, radiological, and histological features are indistinguishable from those of sporadic cases. Furthermore, our work highlights the importance of compiling a thorough family history in individuals presenting with cough and dyspnea, particularly in younger patients identified with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.