Prognosis and Life Expectancy With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (Cont.)

Life Expectancy With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: What Does the Research Say?

Several studies have looked at a person's life expectancy with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Based on these studies, a person's average life expectancy with IPF is thought to range between two and four years after diagnosis. The average five-year survival rate is between 30 and 50 percent.
 
Keep in mind that researchers have noted a considerable variation in these life expectancies based on the factors that were mentioned previously.
 

IPF Prognosis and Life Expectancy: Final Thoughts

People who have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and their loved ones face many unknowns. While some people find that it is easier to cope when they know the statistics, other people find statistical information confusing and frightening, and they think it is too impersonal to be of use to them. The healthcare provider who is most familiar with a person's situation is in the best position to discuss the prognosis, including life expectancy.
 
At the same time, it is important to understand that even the healthcare provider cannot know exactly what to expect. Seeking information about the prognosis with IPF is a personal decision, and it is up to each person to decide how much information he or she wants to know and how to deal with it.
 
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD