The development of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in a patient with emphysema can result in normal compliance measurements.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Emphysema increases lung compliance due to the destruction of alveolar walls, while interstitial lung disease decreases lung compliance due to fibrosis and stiffening of the lung tissue. When both conditions are present in a patient, these opposing effects on lung compliance can counterbalance each other, potentially resulting in normal compliance measurements.

The Development of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) in a Patient