Epidemiology of interstitial lung diseases in Hong Kong

Abstract

Epidemiology of Interstitial Lung Diseases in Hong Kong Ye Yisha Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong

Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) was a rare disease. It encompassed a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by lung fibrosis. The etiology of ILD remained incompletely understood, and prognosis varied among different subtypes, with some exhibiting a poor median survival of less than three years. Previous studies had suggested potential ethnic patterns in subtype distribution, but epidemiological data on ILD in the Asian population was limited. Due to the rarity of the disease, conducting a study with a sufficient number of cases to generate reliable data presented a challenge.

Leveraging the electronic health records (EHR), this study utilized a 16-year longitudinal territory-wide EHR to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of ILD. The research aimed to fill the data gap on ILD in the Chinese population. Survival rates among different ILD subtypes were estimated, along with the identification of associated risk factors. Additionally, the study estimated the prevalence, incidence, and trends of ILD over the 16-year period.

Given the diagnostic challenges of ILD, establishing a predictive model to identify individuals at future risk of developing the disease would have significant clinical implications, enabling early diagnosis and management. To explore this, a pilot study was conducted in the normal population to investigate the association between bone mineral density and the risk of ILD. The results demonstrated that low bone mineral density was associated with an increased risk of ILD.

Analysis of the electronic health records revealed a low utilization rate of innovative medicine in ILD management, with only 3% of patients receiving such treatments. The findings of this study could inform healthcare authorities in the allocation of resources for managing the disease, particularly as novel treatments become available.

Overall, this research addressed the knowledge gap in ILD epidemiology, utilizing a territory-wide EHR database. It provided insights into the survival rates, risk factors, prevalence, incidence, and trends of ILD, while highlighting the ethnic pattern of subtype distribution. The study also explored the potential of a predictive model for identifying individuals at risk of ILD and emphasized the need for improved utilization of innovative medicine in ILD management.