Abstract

Background: rheumatoid arthritis can affect the lung in many ways including lung parenchymal affection (Interstitial lung disease), pleural inflammation, upper and lower airways affection and pulmonary vasculature. Aim of the work: this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of pulmonary manifestations in Egyptian RA patients. Patients and methods: this study included seventy patients with RA. All patients were subjected to detailed medical history taking, general examination including chest examination, local musculoskeletal examination, laboratory investigations including CBC, ESR, CRP titre, ALT, AST, BUN and creatinine, rheumatoid factor titer (RF), Anti-CCP antibodies titer, radiological investigations including chest X ray, HRCT and PFT. Results: pulmonary manifestations were prevalent in 50% of patients. Spirometric abnormalities were detected in 45.7%, while HRCT abnormalities were detected in 42.85%. HRCT severity score was correlated with age, tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC) and ESR. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between HRCT and FVC, FEV1. There was no correlation regarding other parameters. Conclusion: pulmonary affection was prevalent in RA and can be detected by radiological and pulmonary functions. There was correlation with age, ESR and pulmonary functions

Authors and Affiliations