Epidemiology of interstitial lung diseases in a native Afro-Caribbean population of French West Indies.

Background: Data about interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) epidemiology in the Afro-Caribbean population is lacking. Differences in incidence and prevalence compared to European populations have already been reported. The main objective of this study was to estimate ILD incidence in Guadeloupe overall and by etiology. The secondary objective was to determine the clinical, demographic, and environmental characteristics of patients with ILD.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive epidemiological study to estimate the incidence and prevalence of ILD in Guadeloupe between 2013 and 2019 and assess its etiological distribution.

Results: A total of 235 ILD cases in Guadeloupe were included. The incidence of ILD was 6.87 cases per 100,000 population per year, and the prevalence was 32.22 cases per 100,000 population. ILDs associated with connective tissue diseases accounted for 34 % of cases, with an incidence of 2.12 per 100,000 population. Sarcoidosis represented 31 % of cases, with an incidence of 1.72 per 100,000 population. Idiopathic ILDs made up 21 % of cases, with an incidence of 1.72 per 100,000 population. In this cohort, 25 % of patients were smokers, and 29 % of those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were farmers or agricultural workers.

Conclusions: We report the first study on ILD epidemiology in a native Afro-Caribbean population. Incidence and prevalence figures are lower than those previously reported in European populations. The main etiologies were connective tissue diseases, sarcoidosis, and idiopathic ILD.