TY - JOUR T1 - Bacteriological analysis of lower respiratory tract in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagen vascular diseases JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P2493 AU - Kentarou Akata AU - Shuya Nagata AU - Takashi Kido AU - Kei Yamasaki AU - Toshinori Kawanami AU - Hiroshi Ishimoto AU - Kazuhiro Yatera AU - Hiroshi Mukae Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P2493.abstract N2 - BackgroundLower respiratory tract infections (LRTI, bronchiectasis, bronchitis and bronchiolitis) are common comorbidities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). According to the recent advances of the treatment modalities of RA and other collagen vascular diseases (CVD) including anti-inflammatory biological agents, an aggressive diagnosis of LRTI including nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM) is becoming more important.Patients and MethodsFrom April 2008 to August 2011, patients with RA and other CVD with suspicion of NTM were enrolled. Additionally, patients with non-CVD with suspicion of NTM were also enrolled as controls. Bronchial washing were directly obtained from the pathological lesions, and bacteriological analyses were demonstrated. Chest CT findings were also evaluated.ResultsA total of 106 patients (41 with RA, 22 with CVD other than RA and 43 with non-CVD) were enrolled. P. aeruginosa (26.8%) were the most frequently detected in patients with RA, followed by S. aureus (19.5%) and NTM (7.3%). In patients with CVD other than RA, P. aeruginosa (9.1%), S. aureus (13.6%), NTM (4.5%) were detected. Additionally, P. aeruginosa (7.0%), S. aureus (11.6%) and NTM (25.6%) were detected in non-CVD patients. Chest CT findings of patients with RA complicating P. aeruginosa infection demonstrated that these patients showed more widespread of granular opacities and bronchiectasis and tendency of exacerbation of these pathological lesions.ConclusionP. aeruginosa was frequently detected in patients with RA complicating LRTI, and it is speculated that P. aeruginosa infection in patients with RA seemed to be an indicative factor of exacerbation of LRTI. ER -