Journal of medical and dental sciences
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People have the opportunity to inhale inorganic dusts under various environments. Inorganic dust exposures as a result of occupational exposure may induce or modulate pulmonary fibrosis. We analyzed the deposition of elements in lung tissues of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and compared element deposition with chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (chronic HP) and collagen vascular diseases (CVD). ⋯ The silicon (Si)/sulfur (S) ratio and aluminium (AI)/S ratio were increased in IPF independent of occupational exposure. A point elemental analysis showed that the major compound of the particles was aluminium-silicate in IPF. These results suggest that unrecognized dust exposures are relatively common in some IPF patients and aluminium-silicate could be associated with the disease process of IPF.