One in five cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ‘preventable’

People with a family history need advice from their doctors on avoiding exposures, researchers say
Clare Pain

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is likely caused by preventable environmental exposures in one in five cases, an Australian study suggests.

This finding, combined with the confirmation of a strong association with family history, means that people at risk need advice from their doctors on avoiding exposures that could trigger the disease, the authors say.

The case-control study comparing exposures of 503 people (69% male, mean age 71) from the Australian IPF registry with 902 age and sex-matched population controls shows that a family history of pulmonary fibrosis raises the odds of having IPF nearly 13-fold.

Having ever smoked was the next strongest association, increasing the odds of IPF more than two-fold.