Impact of Air Pollution on Chronic Respiratory Diseases

Normal people (n=90) and patients with chronic respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, n=90 for each disease) will be enrolled at 5 different institutions in South Korea and followed up for one year. Inspiratory-expiratory CTs and tests including physical examination and blood/urine tests would be performed at the time of enrollment and the time at completion of the follow up period for each participant. Participants would be checked for the residency and working places, as well as checked for the amount of air pollution exposure using a wearable measurement device for 5 days during the study period ( time at enrollment / 3 months / 6 months / 9 months / time at completion). The device would cause no effect on usual daily life or the medical status of the participant. The clinical course such as occurrence of disease, acute exacerbation, decline of lung function, imaging status, mortality would be evaluated as well as the exposure of air pollution for each individual.