Occupational and Environmental Risk Factors of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Egypt

Abstract

Background: Despite the advances in medical therapy and technology, the prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) remains poor and the need for disease prevention based on identifying the risk factors becomes mandatory. Occupational and environmental exposures were studied in several countries and found to play an important role in the disease development. However, in Egypt, little attention has been paid to study the effect of these factors in the disease development. Objective: to identify the occupational and environmental risk factors associated with the development of IPF in Egypt. Methods: A multicenter hospital-based case-control study was carried out in chest hospitals in three Egyptian Cities: Cairo, Tanta and Mansoura. Study subjects were 201 IPF confirmed cases and 205 age, sex and residence matched controls. Data on occupational and environmental factors were obtained from a questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of IPF in both sexes for single factors with adjustment for age, residence and smoking status. Results: compared with controls, the risk of IPF in male workers was observed to increase significantly in chemical and petrochemical industries and in carpentry and wood working (OR=2.56,