Which strategy should be included for patient management in severe restrictive lung disease?

In cases of severe restrictive lung disease, referring the patient for lung transplantation evaluation is a crucial management strategy. This condition is characterized by a significant reduction in lung volume and a subsequent decrease in lung capacity, which can severely impact a patient's quality of life and overall mortality. When the disease progresses to a point where conventional treatment options do not provide sufficient benefit, lung transplantation becomes a viable option to improve survival and functional status.

While bronchodilators are commonly used for obstructive lung diseases such as asthma or COPD, they have limited efficacy in restrictive patterns where the primary issue is not airway obstruction but rather reduced lung compliance. Similarly, chest physiotherapy is generally aimed at improving airway clearance rather than addressing the underlying restrictive pathology, and corticosteroids may be beneficial in certain inflammatory conditions but are not universally effective in all forms of restrictive lung disease. Therefore, evaluating the patient for potential lung transplant is the most appropriate course of action in severe cases, offering hope for significant clinical improvement and quality of life.