Using the clinical data and clinical samples of patients, this study explored the relationship between ErbB4, IPF, and macrophage activation in the serum of patients with IPF and studied the effect of ErbB4 on macrophage M2 activation in mouse alveolar macrophage MH-S cells, to provide a reference for the early diagnosis and later disease development control of patients with IPF. Here, ERBB4 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.