High-Dose Inhaled Steroids Tied to Higher IPF Risk in South Korean Study

[Hinews] Researchers in South Korea have found evidence linking high-dose inhaled corticosteroid use to a greater risk of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF, a debilitating lung disease. The work, led by Dr. Hee-Young Yoon, a pulmonologist at Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, drew on data from the country's National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort, examining 57,456 patients who received diagnoses of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma from 2002 to 2019.

Among those studied, 9,492—or 16.5 percent—used inhaled corticosteroids. The team divided them into high-, medium-, and low-dose categories. Patients on high doses, meaning 1,000 micrograms or more daily, showed a hazard ratio of about 3.99 for developing IPF relative to non-users. By comparison, typical doses carried no apparent added risk.

Inhaled Steroids: High-Dose, Long-Term Use May Increase Risk of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Study Finds (Image provided by ClipArtKorea)

The connection stood out most in those with chronic airway conditions like COPD or asthma. Younger patients, the analysis suggested, faced somewhat less danger than their older counterparts.

Dr. Yoon urged restraint in drawing conclusions, saying, “This study observes an association between high-dose inhaled corticosteroid use and an increased risk of pulmonary fibrosis, but it does not establish causation.” She recommended avoiding needless long-term high doses and called for routine checks to adjust prescriptions as needed.