Progression of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Is Associated with Silica/Silicate Inhalation

Recently, environmental dust exposure has emerged as a possible risk factor for interstitial pneumonia. Inhaled silica/silicates and titanium are associated with the progression of rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis. However, relationship between inhaled elements idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains unclear. In this study, we focused on IPF presenting histological usual pneumonia investigated progression. We examined in lungs using in-air micro-particle-induced X-ray emission analysis (PIXE). Lung tissue samples were analyzed compared control lung samples. There was significant difference terms silicon, assumed to form silica/silicates. silicon significantly correlated annual decline forced vital capacity patients IPF. Furthermore, higher accumulation showed poorer prognosis than those lower lungs. These differences also seen multivariate analyses, including smoking history, severity, and/or antifibrotic treatment. In-air micro-PIXE can be beneficial detecting lung. results indicate that may partly involved