HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Taskar, V. S. Articles by Coultas, D. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Taskar, V. S. Articles by Coultas, D. B.

Is Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis an Environmental Disease?

Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to David Coultas, M.D., The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, 11937 U.S. Highway 271, Tyler, TX 75708. E-mail: david.coultas{at}uthct.edu

ABSTRACT

Several sources of evidence, including investigations of pathogenesis and observational studies, support the hypothesis that environmental agents may have an etiologic role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Since 1990, six case-control studies have been conducted in three countries and have consistently demonstrated increased risk of IPF with exposures to a number of environmental and occupational agents. In a meta-analysis of these studies, six exposures were significantly associated with IPF (summary odds ratios [95% confidence intervals]), including ever smoking (1.58 [1.27–1.97]), agriculture/farming (1.65 [1.20–2.26]), livestock (2.17 [1.28–3.68]), wood dust (1.94 [1.34–2.81]), metal dust (2.44 [1.74–3.40]), and stone/sand (1.97 [1.09–3.55]). Although there are a number of limitations of the case-control design and these results alone do not establish a causal link, an assessment of all of the available evidence strongly suggests that IPF may be a heterogeneous disorder caused by a number of environmental and occupational exposures.

Key Words: interstitial lung diseases • occupation • risk • smoking

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Behr and V. J. Thannickal Update in Diffuse Parenchymal Lung Disease 2008 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 15, 2009; 179(6): 439 - 444. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. B. Hubbard, C. Smith, I. Le Jeune, J. Gribbin, and A. W. Fogarty The Association between Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Vascular Disease: A Population-based Study Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., December 15, 2008; 178(12): 1257 - 1261. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. K. Attili, E. A. Kazerooni, B. H. Gross, K. R. Flaherty, J. L. Myers, and F. J. Martinez Smoking-related Interstitial Lung Disease: Radiologic-Clinical-Pathologic Correlation RadioGraphics, September 1, 2008; 28(5): 1383 - 1396. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. M. Antoniou, D. M. Hansell, M. B. Rubens, K. Marten, S. R. Desai, N. M. Siafakas, A. G. Nicholson, R. M. du Bois, and A. U. Wells Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Outcome in Relation to Smoking Status Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2008; 177(2): 190 - 194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Pottier, C. Chupin, V. Defamie, B. Cardinaud, R. Sutherland, G. Rios, F. Gauthier, P. J. Wolters, Y. Berthiaume, P. Barbry, et al. Relationships between Early Inflammatory Response to Bleomycin and Sensitivity to Lung Fibrosis: A Role for Dipeptidyl-Peptidase I and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3? Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., December 1, 2007; 176(11): 1098 - 1107. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Fireman, Y Lerman, M Ben Mahor, E Ganor, and M. Kramer Redefining idiopathic interstitial lung disease into occupational lung diseases by analysis of chemical composition of inhaled dust particles in induced sputum and/or lung biopsy specimens Toxicology and Industrial Health, November 1, 2007; 23(10): 607 - 615. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. L. Olson, J. J. Swigris, D. C. Lezotte, J. M. Norris, C. G. Wilson, and K. K. Brown Mortality from Pulmonary Fibrosis Increased in the United States from 1992 to 2003 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., August 1, 2007; 176(3): 277 - 284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Arakawa, T. Johkoh, K. Honma, Y. Saito, Y. Fukushima, H. Shida, and N. Suganuma Chronic Interstitial Pneumonia in Silicosis and Mix-Dust Pneumoconiosis: Its Prevalence and Comparison of CT Findings With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Chest, June 1, 2007; 131(6): 1870 - 1876. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Mueller-Mang, C. Grosse, K. Schmid, L. Stiebellehner, and A. A. Bankier What Every Radiologist Should Know about Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias RadioGraphics, May 1, 2007; 27(3): 595 - 615. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]