The effect of air pollution in diffuse interstitial lung disease

• Published in: Revue des maladies respiratoires Vol. 37; no. 5; p. 389
• Main Authors: Sesé, L, Jeny, F, Uzunhan, Y, Khamis, W, Freynet, O, Valeyre, D, Bernaudin, J-F, Annesi-Maesano, I, Nunes, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: French
• Published: France 01.05.2020
• Subjects: Sarcoïdose; Fibrose pulmonaire idiopathique; Polyarthrite rhumatoïde; Sarcoidosis; Hypersensitivity pneumonitis; Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Pollution atmosphérique; Interstitial lung disease; Outdoor air pollution; Pneumopathie d’hypersensibilité; Pneumopathie interstitielle diffuse
• ISSN: 1776-2588
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rmr.2020.02.015

Few studies have examined the effects of air pollution in diffuse interstitial lung disease and they have focused on small numbers of patients. Most data are available in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and studies suggest that the level of exposure to pollutants may influence the development of acute exacerbations (ozone and NO ), their incidence (NO ), decline in respiratory function (PM ) and death (PM and PM ). Several studies show an increase in the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in people living near busy roads. In systemic scleroderma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis and sarcoidosis although negative effects of pollution have been reported the data are insufficient to be conclusive. Nevertheless, the observed effects of air pollution are consistent with those described for other chronic respiratory diseases. Exposure to pollution induces oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and shortening of telomeres, which are all mechanisms described in fibrogenesis. New epidemiological studies are needed with individual measurements of exposure to outdoor and indoor pollution, as well as fundamental studies to clarify the effect of pollution on fibrogenesis.