Table 1 Characteristics of patients

No. of patients: 66

Gender: Male: 47%, female: 53%

Age: 58.9

Presenting symptoms:

Dyspneoa: 72.7%

Dry cough: 36.4%

Productive cough: 28.8%

Pleuritic chest pain: 10.6%

Haemoptysis: 6.1%

Wheeze: 4.5%

Systemic disturbance: 16.7%

Asymptomatic: 4.5%

Time between first presentation and VATS lung biopsy: 16.1 months

Pre-operative pulmonary function testing:

FEV₁: 2.11 L

FVC: 2.71 L

Prior investigations:

Bronchoscopy: 33.3%

Bronchoalveolar lavage: 25.8%

Transbronchial lung biopsy: 7.6%

Pre-operative therapy (corticosteroid or other immunosuppressant): 16.7%