Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Job Exposures Study

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a scarring lung disease. It damages the air sacs that allow oxygen to be transferred into the blood and transported to vital organs. These changes make people with IPF cough and feel short of breath. It not known what causes the damage. People who get IPF are usually older than 40; it's a very serious illness that cannot be cured and gets worse over time. Statistics show that IPF is becoming more common in the UK but it's not known why. It can be difficult for doctors to tell if someone has IPF or another disease called asbestosis.

For cases

Inclusion criteria

• New diagnosis of IPF between February 2017 and October 2019

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to give informed consent
• Ever worked outside of the UK

For controls

Inclusion criteria

• New outpatient department attendee between February 2017 and October 2019

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to give informed consent
• Ever worked outside of the UK (does not include work outside the UK by members of the armed forces or merchant navy)
• Diagnosis of IPF