Repeat bronchoalveolar lavage in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: proceed with caution?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease with a median life expectancy of 3–5 years [1]. In recent years, management of IPF has been transformed with the worldwide approval of two anti-fibrotic therapies. In parallel, advances in the understanding of IPF pathogenesis have identified numerous targets for potential therapeutic intervention [2]. However, the adoption of anti-fibrotic …