P109 Determinants of interstitial lung disease in men with rheumatoid arthritis. Results from a large cohort study in Cornwall, UK

Background/Aims Men with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). Determinants of RA-ILD include increased age, rheumatoid nodules, heavy smoking, rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-CCP levels. Studies of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis have consistently demonstrated a significant association independently with exposure to workplace vapours, gases, dust and fumes (VGDF) or the combination of heavy smoking and VGDF exposure. Surprisingly no study to date has examined workplace VGDF exposures and RA-ILD development. Accordingly, we aimed to determine whether VGDF exposures alone or in combination with heavy smoking contribute to developing RA-ILD. Methods Males with RA attending clinics from February 2015 to August 2016 were followed up over a decade. The number of men with imaging demonstrating ILD was recorded. Current occupation, former occupation if retired and previously held employments for >1 year were recorded and stratification for the number of VGDF exposures in each occupation held for >1 year (0, 1, 2, ≥3). Age, age of RA onset, disease duration, smoking history in terms of ever having smoked and pack-years smoked, RF and anti-CCP levels, presence of rheumatoid nodules were recorded. The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) was used to stratify social deprivation. Mann-Whitney U testing and Chi-square testing were utilized to compare RA men with and without ILD. Binary logistic regression was utilized to study the relationship between the above factors and RA-ILD. Results In total 666 men were studied and 54 men (8%) had RA-ILD. The comparison between male RA patients with and without ILD is summarized in Table 1. Binary logistic regression demonstrated no significant relationship between the putative risk factors studied and RA-ILD. Conclusion Men with RA-ILD were more likely to have smoked significantly more heavily and both their RF and anti-CCP levels were significantly more elevated compared to RA men without ILD. More men with RA-ILD had ≥3 VGDF workplace exposures compared to men without RA-ILD, although this did not meet statistical significance. Larger studies of cohorts of males with RA-ILD should be undertaken regarding occupational VGDF exposures. Table 1: Comparison between male RA patients with and without ILD. Disclosure M. Dissanayake: None. K. Perera: None. D. Hutchinson: None.