Using the WGS data available for the cases in the PROFILE cohort, the MUC5B allele frequency in carriers of rare variants in RTEL1, PARN, TERT, and TERC (21%) was found to be significantly higher than the allele frequency in non-Finnish European controls (11%; FET p = 0.02; OR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.06–3.98), but lower than IPF cases without an identified rare genetic risk factor in a telomere-related gene (33%; FET p = 0.02; OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.23–0.91) (Fig. 3b and Supplementary Data 4). This evidence concerns the gene TERC and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.