PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Roland du Bois
AU  - Talmadge E King, Jr
TI  - Challenges in pulmonary fibrosis · 5: The NSIP/UIP debate
AID  - 10.1136/thx.2004.031039
DP  - 2007 Nov 01
TA  - Thorax
PG  - 1008--1012
VI  - 62
IP  - 11
4099  - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/62/11/1008.short
4100  - http://thorax.bmj.com/content/62/11/1008.full
SO  - Thorax2007 Nov 01; 62
AB  - Among the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, the two entities—idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) characterised by the presence of the usual interstitial pneumonia pattern of histopathology (IPF/UIP) and non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP; same nomenclature for the histopathological pattern and idiopathic disease)—have provoked considerable debate. IPF/UIP and NSIP closely mimic each other clinically but NSIP has a far better outcome. However, it remains unclear if NSIP is a truly separate and distinct entity. The histopathological pattern of NSIP can be found in a wide variety of clinical and radiological contexts. This review addresses these and other uncertainties regarding NSIP and UIP.