Respirology : official journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating progressive lung disease affecting the parenchyma. Nitrogen multiple-breath washout (N2 -MBW) is a lung function test that measures ventilation inhomogeneity, a biomarker of small airway disease. We assessed clinical properties of N2 -MBW in IPF. ⋯ N2 -MBW is a feasible, reliable and valid lung function test in IPF. LCI correlates with diffusion impairment, structural airway damage and clinical disease severity. LCI is a promising surveillance tool in IPF that may predict mortality.