01
Diagnostic assessment
Integrating clinical history, imaging and pulmonary function. Specialist opinions for complex cases and coordination of multidisciplinary assessment when needed.
ENΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ Specialist IPF care
01 IPF CENTER OF EXCELLENCE / ATHENS
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Expertise at every step.
Specialist diagnosis, second opinions and ongoing care at Prof. Demosthenes Bouros’s practice. Scientific evidence meets the needs of each person.
SECOND OPINIONSINDIVIDUAL CAREGR / EN
PNMG / LUNG ATLAS
Understand the disease.
Navigate your care.
[ START HERE ]
Your next step.
01
Understand my diagnosis
IPF, the investigations and the questions worth asking.
IPF GUIDE
02
Plan my visit
A first assessment, second opinion or treatment review.
THE PRACTICE
03
Make sense of my measurements
Compare test results and prepare a summary for your next appointment.
PRACTICAL TOOLS
04
Live with IPF
Space for the challenges, needs and person behind the disease.
EVERYDAY SUPPORT
[ EXPLORE · UNDERSTAND · SHARE ]
Knowledge has connections.
[ PURPOSE ]
Specialist care from diagnosis to long-term management.
Our practice considers the clinical history, HRCT, lung-function tests and disease trajectory together. Treatment strategy, medication tolerability, oxygen needs and everyday life belong in the same clinical assessment. Research and evidence support an individual plan of care.
[ OUR CLINICAL APPROACH ]
Diagnosis. Treatment. Follow-up.
02
Treatment strategy
Individual assessment of medicines, combinations, dosing and tolerability, alongside supportive-care needs.
03
Long-term management
Following lung function, symptoms and adverse effects. Reassessing the care plan as the patient’s needs change.
ObserveStructureInterrogateValidate
[ A QUIET PLACE FOR LIFE WITH IPF ]
ENGLISH · GREEK AVAILABLEYou are still here.
IPF changes the shape of a life. It does not erase the person living it. Begin with what feels heaviest today.
How are you today?
TOGETHER, WITHOUT RUSHING
You do not have to understand everything today.
A diagnosis can suddenly make the future feel smaller. Shock, anger and uncertainty are not an overreaction; they are human responses to a major change.
ONE QUESTION FOR YOUR TEAM
What are the three most important things we know about my individual case?
“At first I did not need more information. I needed a way to put it in order.”An edited composite of recurring experiences, not attributed to a specific person. Future testimonies will be published only with consent and moderation.
Safety comes first. New or severe breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, confusion, blue lips or inability to remain safe require immediate medical help. This page does not replace emergency or individualized care.
PREVENTION · VACCINATION & IPF
Every autumn, review your protection.
Vaccination is part of pulmonary fibrosis care: it reduces the risk of specific infections and severe illness. Vaccines do not treat IPF or prevent every infection.
Add an annual calendar reminder: “Vaccine review with my care team”. Flu vaccination is yearly; RSV vaccination is not.
Flu
One dose of the seasonal vaccine. Ideally mid-October to late November; if missed, discuss vaccination later in the season. Chronic lung disease is an indication.
At age ≥65, ask about an enhanced vaccine. If unavailable, do not delay a suitable alternative. Protection develops in about two weeks.
Source: FluRSV
Greek recommendations: ≥75, or 60–74 at increased risk, including interstitial lung disease under treatment.
Check eligibility and whether you have already received a dose. Do not schedule yearly repeats; review recommendations with your doctor.
Source: RSVPneumococcal disease
Recommended at ≥65, or 18–64 with chronic lung disease.
PCV20 is given as one adult dose. Bring dates of any previous PCV13 or PPSV23 doses so your doctor can choose the interval. This is not a yearly vaccine.
Source: Pneumococcal diseaseShingles
Greek recommendations: ≥60, or ≥18 with immunosuppression.
The recombinant vaccine requires two doses, usually two months apart, completed within six months. A 1–2 month interval may be chosen with immunosuppression. Book the second dose when you receive the first.
Source: ShinglesTetanus · diphtheria · pertussis
After a complete primary course: Tdap at least once in adulthood, then Td or Tdap every ten years.
If doses are missing or uncertain, request a catch-up plan. Wounds or pregnancy may require different timing.
Source: Tetanus · diphtheria · pertussisWhat about other vaccines?
Hepatitis A/B, MMR, chickenpox, HPV and travel or special-risk vaccines need individual review. Not everyone needs every vaccine.
Vaccination with fewer journeys: 6 steps
Put your history in one list
List previous vaccines and dates, including older pneumococcal doses, and bring your medication list. If records are missing, tell your doctor rather than assuming everything needs repeating. Report a serious allergy or reaction, immunosuppression, anticoagulants and any current fever or infection.
Get one written vaccination plan
Ask your pulmonologist or primary care doctor to specify the product, dose number and date for each vaccine. Identify which can share an appointment and which need another visit. The aim is fewer journeys while keeping the correct intervals.
Check prescriptions and coverage before buying
Ask whether the exact product requires an electronic prescription, whether your age and indication qualify for reimbursement, and whether there is a copayment or administration charge. Check the prescription expiry. With paperless prescribing, keep the SMS or email barcode on your phone. Coverage differs between people and vaccines.
Call before making the journey
Give the exact vaccine name and check stock or ask to reserve it. Confirm who can administer it, where, when and at what cost. Ask whether collection and administration can be arranged at the same location. Do not assume every pharmacy administers every vaccine.
Arrive with everything you need
Bring ID, AMKA, your prescription or barcode and the written plan. If transporting a vaccine, obtain cold-chain instructions from the pharmacist first and go directly to the vaccination provider. Confirm allergies, medicines and any new symptoms before administration. Stay for the observation period advised by the provider.
Book the next dose before leaving
Request entry in the National Vaccination Registry where applicable and keep the date, product and batch number. Book any remaining dose on a specific date and set a reminder one week beforehand. Ask about expected reactions and a contact number. For severe breathing difficulty, facial swelling or collapse, call 112.
Need more than one vaccine?
Different vaccines and later doses of the same vaccine require different scheduling. Your written plan should state what happens at each visit.
Different vaccines · possibly one visit
Many non-live vaccines can be given on the same day, using separate syringes and injection sites, once the specific combination is approved. Different non-live vaccines generally do not need an arbitrary waiting interval.
RSV with other vaccines · decide with your doctor
Coadministration is possible, but evidence is limited and common temporary reactions may be more frequent. Discuss the convenience of one visit, your ability to return and your tolerance of side effects.
Two doses of one vaccine · separate dates
The first and second doses of a course are not given together. For shingles, book dose two within the interval your doctor specifies. If you miss the appointment, contact the provider for a new date.
Previous pneumococcal doses · check before another
PCV13, PPSV23 and PCV20 are not a bundle to administer together. Previous dates determine whether and when PCV20 is needed. The Greek programme does not add PPSV23 after PCV20.
What to say on the phone
“My doctor has recommended [vaccine names]. Are they in stock? Do I need a prescription and what is covered? Can you administer them at one appointment according to my plan? What is the total cost and when should I book the next dose?”
Before leaving home
✓ Appointment and stock confirmed · ✓ ID and AMKA · ✓ Prescription / barcode · ✓ Vaccine history and medicines · ✓ Written plan with dates
If you take immunosuppressants or have had a transplant, vaccine type and timing need specific review. Live vaccines such as MMR and chickenpox may be unsuitable. Do not stop medicines yourself to receive a vaccine. Antifibrotics are not equivalent to immunosuppression.
Discuss your plan at an appointmentSources & review date
Reviewed: 5 October 2026. Flu: 2026–2027 circular. Other guidance: Greek adult programme, October 2025 amendment, and EMA. Individual eligibility and the current schedule must be confirmed before administration.
[ PNEUMOGENESIS KNOWLEDGE CORE ]
Knowledge becomes
a practical tool.
Scientific evidence, daily guidance, and responsible personalization—without turning information into a diagnosis or prescription.
Articles & Updates
Practice posts
Text and images published after approval by the practice.
Read the pageIPF Journal Insights 2026
A scientific reading of IPF research, with clinical interpretation and the limits of the evidence.
Read the pageNon-pharmacological interventions in IPF
Rehabilitation, oxygen, transplantation and palliative care, with an assessment of evidence certainty.
Read the pageNews & Updates
The full treatment landscape: medicines, combinations, investigational therapies, non-pharmacological care, dosing, safety and access.
Read the pageEVIDENCE-BASED GUIDE
OXYGEN THERAPYOxygen is a treatment with a specific prescription.
It may be prescribed at rest, during sleep, or with exertion. Flow and equipment must meet a person's needs during activity; a normal resting value does not rule out exertional desaturation.
Never change the flow yourself, and never smoke near oxygen.
Source / standard EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDE
6-MINUTE WALK TESTSix minutes that show how the body functions in real life.
The 6MWT records distance walked on a standardized course alongside SpO₂, heart rate, breathlessness, and fatigue. Technique, instructions, oxygen delivery, and familiarity can affect the result.
Compare tests only when protocols and clinical circumstances were similar.
Source / standard EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDE
PULMONARY REHABILITATIONIt does not reverse fibrosis; it can expand what you are able to do.
Pulmonary rehabilitation combines individualized exercise, education, and behavior change. For ILD, participation in a structured program carries a strong recommendation supported by moderate-certainty evidence.
The program must account for desaturation, other conditions, and functional capacity.
Source / standard EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDE
NATURAL & COMPLEMENTARYNatural does not mean proven or harmless.
No herb, supplement, or special diet has been shown to reverse IPF. N-acetylcysteine did not preserve FVC versus placebo in a randomized trial. Nutrition remains important for weight, muscle, and general health—not as a substitute for antifibrotic treatment.
Ask about liver toxicity and interactions with antifibrotics, anticoagulants, and other medicines before using any supplement.
Source / standard [ EXAM JOURNEY ]
Know why each test matters.
Choose a test to understand its purpose, what will happen, how to prepare, and how clinicians follow its trend over time.
Measures how much air you can exhale after a full breath in. In pulmonary fibrosis it is an important—but not standalone—signal of functional change.
With a nose clip, you inhale fully and exhale as hard and completely as possible. Repeated efforts allow the laboratory to assess quality and repeatability.
Follow the laboratory's instructions about medicines, smoking, exercise, and meals. Bring earlier curves, not only the percentage value.
A trend is most useful when manoeuvres are acceptable and tests comparable. Infection, pain, fatigue, or incomplete effort can alter the result.
One test answers one part of the question. The most reliable picture comes from trends that combine symptoms, physiology, exercise oxygenation, imaging, and clinical review.
[ CLINICAL SIGNAL INTERPRETER · BROWSER ONLY ]
Put your measurements
in context.
Optionally enter previous and recent values. Nothing is sent or stored. The result organizes observations and questions; it does not make treatment decisions.
[ FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH IPF ]
A clearer signal
through the uncertainty.
IPF can make the path ahead feel fragmented: unfamiliar language, changing evidence, difficult treatment decisions and unanswered questions. Pneumogenesis exists to help illuminate that landscape with careful explanations, traceable sources and tools designed around the realities of pulmonary fibrosis.
Understand the evidencePrepare better questionsFollow meaningful progress
Educational and research information only. Individual diagnosis and treatment decisions remain with the patient’s clinical team.[ CLINICAL SNAPSHOT · REVIEWED 26 AUG 2026 ]
What has changed
A dated, source-linked view. “Latest” is treated as a claim that must be continuously rechecked.
15.07.2026 / EUROPEAN UNION
Nerandomilast enters clinical practice.
Jascayd (nerandomilast), a preferential PDE4B inhibitor, is authorised in the EU for adults with IPF and progressive pulmonary fibrosis. It is therefore an approved medicine—not an IMP—when used within its authorised setting.
Read the EMA assessmentFVC decline at 52 weeks−115 mL
Nerandomilast 18 mg twice daily
FVC decline at 52 weeks−183 mL
Placebo comparator
InterpretationSlower decline ≠ reversal
The pivotal IPF study supports preservation of lung function relative to placebo. It does not demonstrate that established fibrosis disappears or that every individual will respond.
IPF is a progressive fibrosing interstitial pneumonia
Diagnosis integrates clinical context and the HRCT pattern, sometimes with histopathology, through multidisciplinary discussion. “Idiopathic” means no identifiable cause—not that the disease lacks biological mechanisms.
FVC is central, but never the whole person
Longitudinal FVC, DLCO, symptoms, oxygen need, exercise capacity, imaging and acute events provide complementary signals. A single measurement should be interpreted in its technical and clinical context.
Management extends beyond antifibrotic therapy
Vaccination, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen when indicated, comorbidity care, symptom control, transplant evaluation when appropriate, and early supportive or palliative care all belong in comprehensive IPF care.
[ CLINICAL TRIAL LANDSCAPE ]
IMPs under scrutiny
IMP = investigational medicinal product. Trial participation is not treatment access, and biological plausibility is not proof of clinical benefit.
01
Phase 3 · pivotal
Positive programmeInhaled treprostinil
Prostacyclin analogue · inhaled IMP
TETON-1 / NCT04708782
02The TETON programme reported preservation of FVC over 52 weeks. The IPF indication remained under regulatory development at this review date.
Phase 2 · proof of concept
CompletedItepekimab
Anti–IL-33 monoclonal antibody · IMP
NCT06280391
03Two dose regimens were evaluated against placebo in IPF. Completion does not establish efficacy; peer-reviewed results and full safety interpretation remain essential.
Phase 2b/3
DiscontinuedBexotegrast
αvβ6 / αvβ1 integrin inhibitor · former IMP
BEACON-IPF / NCT06097260
04Development in BEACON-IPF was discontinued in 2025 following independent safety review. Earlier biological promise must not be confused with a favourable benefit–risk conclusion.
Phase 2
TerminatedGSK3915393
LPA1 pathway programme · former IMP
NCT06317285
The sponsor registry lists the study as terminated. Terminated programmes remain scientifically informative but should never be presented as available treatment options.
Trial status changes. Confirm current eligibility, locations and recruitment directly in the registry and with the responsible study centre.
[ PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH ]
“A diagnosis changes the map. It does not erase the person walking it.”— Pneumogenesis reflection
Mental health is part of respiratory health.
Breathlessness can intensify fear; fear can narrow activity and social life. Anxiety, low mood, anticipatory grief and caregiver strain deserve to be named and treated with the same seriousness as physical symptoms.
Say it early
Tell the clinical team when fear, panic, sleep disruption or low mood begin to affect daily life. Psychological distress is clinically relevant—not a personal failure.
Rebuild safe movement
Ask about supervised pulmonary rehabilitation. Evidence supports physical and quality-of-life benefits; mental-health effects in ILD are promising but remain less certain.
Bring care closer
Peer support, health psychology, symptom-focused palliative care and caregiver support can coexist with active disease-directed treatment.
Urgent support: thoughts of self-harm, inability to stay safe, severe panic or acute worsening breathlessness require immediate local emergency or clinical help.
Review the pulmonary-rehabilitation evidence[ PRIMARY SOURCES ]
Follow the evidence trail.
[ TOOLS & RESEARCH APPLICATIONS ]
Explore the system
ILD Patient RegistryRESEARCH PROTOTYPE · TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE
Registry access needs to be restored. For visit preparation and test comparisons, use the care tools.
PubMed Architect
Build, interrogate and trace biomedical evidence from question to synthesis.
Nerandomilast eDiary
A structured patient diary for administration, tolerability and treatment context.
Practical care tools
Compare FVC/DLCO, record symptoms and prepare a visit with a printable summary.
The practice of Prof. Demosthenes Bouros
Expertise in interstitial lung disease, clinic information, and safe visit preparation.
[ OPERATING PRINCIPLES ]
Evidence should remain
inspectable.
- 01Traceability
Every output should reveal its inputs, logic and uncertainty.
- 02Clinical relevance
Methods must answer a real respiratory research question.
- 03Validation before claims
Development status stays explicit; promise never outruns evidence.
PNEUMOGENESIS / 2026
IPF expertise
in service of the patient.
For an initial assessment, second opinion or treatment review, arrange a visit to our specialist practice.
Request an appointment