Abstract
Introduction: Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive scarring lung disease of unknown cause with limited treatment and a median survival of 2-3 years.
Aim: to identify potential occupational and environmental exposures associated with development of IPF in Australia.
Methods: Cases were recruited by the Australian IPF registry. Patients completed a questionnaire about demographics, smoking, family history, environmental and occupational exposures. Clinical, radiological and histopathological data were reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel. Population based controls were recruited by random digit dialling, frequency matched on age, sex and state. Occupational exposure assessment was undertaken with the Finnish Job Exposure Matrix (FINJEM). Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess associations with IPF as Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), adjusted for age, sex and smoking.
Results: We recruited 503 cases (mean±SD age 71.1±8.5 years, 72% male) and 902 controls (70.8±8.4, 69% male). Current or past tobacco smoking was associated with increased risk of IPF: OR=2.20 (95%CI 1.74, 2.79), but ever using marijuana was associated with reduced risk: 0.48 (0.31, 0.74). A family history of pulmonary fibrosis was associated with 13.3 (6.84, 25.7) fold increased risk of IPF. Occupational exposures to second hand smoke (OR=2.04; 1.16, 3.60) and respirable dust (OR=1.41; 1.07, 1.88) were associated with increased risk. However occupational exposures to specific organic, mineral or metal dusts were not associated with IPF.
Conclusion: The burden of IPF could be reduced by continued tobacco control and occupational dust control measures.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2018 52: Suppl. 62, PA5068.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2018