The critical role of autoantibodies in the diagnosis and management of patients with ILD is emphasised by the 2011 American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society/Japanese Respiratory Society and Latin American Thoracic Association (ATS/ERS/JRS/ALAT) guidelines for the diagnosis of ILD, which recommend testing for antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in all patients with suspected ILD, even without overt features of a CTD [1]. This evidence concerns the gene BTG3 and interstitial lung disease.