The impact of hiatus hernia in hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

This article discusses the impact of hiatus hernia (HH) in patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). The study found that about one-third of HP patients had HH, which is higher than the general population. However, the causal relationship between HH and lung fibrosis has not been established. The study also found that the presence and size of HH were not associated with body mass index (BMI) or the extent of fibrosis on CT scans. Additionally, there was no relationship between HH and baseline lung function. In patients with a usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern on CT, there was a trend towards poorer survival and lung function decline in those with HH. Consolidation, a CT marker of aspiration, was more prevalent in HP patients with larger HH. Further research is needed to understand the potential role of HH in the development of HP. [Extracted from the article]