5 Facts you should know about

Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP)

An acute, rapidly progressive idiopathic pulmonary disease that often leads to respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Symptoms usually start as viral-like prodrome followed with shortness of breath with cough, fever, and progress rapidly to acute respiratory distress

The physical exam typically shows findings of hypoxia, tachypnea, and bilateral diffuse crackles

Chest X-ray usually shows a pattern that is similar to ARDS

The mortality rate is greater than 50%, either in the initial presentation or within 6 months after onset

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