About Hamdi Al-Zaim ILD Center
Hamdi Al-Zaim ILD Center at AUBMC was established in 2017 after the generous donation of the family of the late Mr. Hamdi Al-Zaim. The mission of the center is to offer patients diagnosed with interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and their families the compassionate, holistic, and innovative high quality of care; conduct clinical and basic research on the pathogenesis and treatment of ILD, and educate patients, their families, the community and the health care providers about the interstitial lung diseases and its impact on health and wellbeing of patients.
Hamdi Al-Zaim ILD Center team seeks to advance the ability to diagnose, monitor disease progression, and discover new therapies through collaboration with international ILD centers and with the utilization of clinical and research skills; and ultimately to provide national and regional ILD services whereby individuals with ILD will have an access to a specialized ILD multidisciplinary team for diagnosis and management according to the latest evidence-based practices in the field of ILD.
Our Services
The Hamdi Al Zaim Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Center provides a multidisciplinary approach through our distinguished physicians in the fields of pulmonary medicine, radiology, pathology, rheumatology, and cardiothoracic surgery. Our team also includes ILD nurse specialists, pulmonary laboratory technicians, dietitians, and pulmonary rehabilitation physiotherapists.
Hamdi al-Zaim ILD center specializes in diagnosing and treating a wide spectrum of interstitial lung diseases, including:
• Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sarcoidosis
• Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
• Occupational lung diseases (such as asbestosis, silicosis, etc.)
• ILD associated with rheumatic diseases and medications
• Familial Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Other disorders such as lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP), etc.
Hamdi al Zaim Interstitial Lung Disease Outpatient Center offers ILD patient with outpatient clinical evaluation and treatment, pulmonary function testing, referral to pulmonary rehabilitation and lung transplantation, nutritional and psychological counseling and follow up. Hamdi Al-Zaim ILD center also compromises a state-of-art respiratory laboratory that provides advanced pulmonary function testing, including body plethysmography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), and six minutes walk testing.
In addition to providing clinical services, Hamdi al-Zaim ILD center is also committed to the advancing of ILD patients’ care through contributing to clinical and translational research in the field of ILD and offering patients the opportunities to participate in international clinical trials studying new therapies and practices.
Post COVID Care Clinic (PCCC)
Recently, the Post COVID Care Clinic (PCCC) has been established as part of Hamdi al-Zaim ILD center The PCCC is a specialized clinic that will provide comprehensive and integrated care for patients after recovery from COVID-19. It offers medical evaluation and management of the post COVID-19 pulmonary and extrapulmonary complications, through a team which includes pulmonologists, family medicine and infectious diseases specialists, ILD nurses, clinical psychologists, physical therapists, pulmonary rehabilitation nurse, and dieticians.
Taking Appointments and Contacting us
Appointments are available Monday through Friday.
Hours: 8.00 AM – 5.00 PM
Tel: +961-1-374374 ext.: 7851
Cell: +961-3-807191
Location: AUBMC, Phase I, 3rd floor.
For More Information
Patients’ Guides
Six Minute Walk Test Guide
Pulmonary Function Test Guide
High Resolution CT scanning Guide
Bronchoscopy Procedure Guide
Smoking Cessation Program Guide
Know more about Interstitial Lung Diseases
What is Interstitial Lung Disease?
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a broad group of lung disorders. Most of these disorders cause inflammation and scarring (fibrosis) of the lungs. This scarring makes the tissue in your lungs stiff leading to difficulty breathing. ILD is a chronic condition that, for the most part, cannot be cured. However, controlling its symptoms may manage the disease, slow its progression, and improve the quality of your life.
What causes ILD?
In most cases, the exact cause of ILD is unknown; however, there are several contributing factors that include:
Long-term exposure to hazardous chemicals, toxins, or pollutants
Autoimmune diseases (your immune system produces antibodies against your own organs)
Some medications
Radiation therapy (cancer treatment that uses intense form of energy, called ionizing radiation)
Family history
What are the symptoms of ILD?
The most common symptoms of ILD include dry cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain,
How are ILDs diagnosed?
Your doctor will examine you and may request some tests and procedures to determine if you have ILD, the type and cause of the ILD. These tests include:
Pulmonary function test
High resolution chest computed tomography (CT) scan
Blood tests
Lung biopsy
Six-minute walk test
Bronchoscopy
ILD multidisciplinary discussions (MDD) is a crucial step in the diagnosis of these complex diseases. This entails a regular meeting among pulmonary ILD specialists, thoracic radiologists, rheumatologists, and pathologists who specialize in ILD. These meetings involve a detailed discussion of the patient case and lead to improved diagnostics accuracy. At Hamdi al Zaim ILD center, these MDD meetings are held regularly to provide the best care of the ILD patient
How are ILDs managed?
The management of ILD differs according to the type and the underlying cause of ILD. Many of the ILDs are chronic diseases that might not be curable, but they can be controlled by some medications such as antifibrotic medications, corticosteroids, other immunosuppressant therapies, or lung transplantation in advanced cases.
The following measures and lifestyle changes can help you adjust to your condition:
Quit smoking
Use breathing techniques
Take all your medications as prescribed by your doctor
Eat a healthy diet
Use oxygen therapy if prescribed by your doctor
Take your yearly immunizations
Stay active
Control your stress