RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Co-existent rheumatoid arthritis and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: Evidence for more severe pulmonary disease using the bronchiectasis severity index (BSI) JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP P2519 VO 44 IS Suppl 58 A1 Jonathan Aust A1 John Davison A1 Elizabeth Perry A1 Paul Eggleton A1 David Hutchinson A1 James Chalmers A1 Clive Kelly A1 Anthony De Soyza YR 2014 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P2519.abstract AB Introduction The co-existence of non-CF bronchiectasis (BR) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is poorly understood, however BR may be more severe in patients with coexistent RA (BR&RA).Aim To utilise the recently published multi-domain BR severity index (BSI) comparing scores of patients with BR alone or both BR&RA.Methods BSI without CT scores was calculated using single centre data (Newcastle, UK) for 95 patients with a confirmed non-CF bronchiectasis either with or without rheumatologist-diagnosed RA.Results Patients with RA and BR (BR&RA) were compared to BR alone. Data in Table 1 shown as: Mean (SD) or percentage. BSI was significantly higher in patients with BR&RA as compared to BR alone. However gender, age, BMI and colonisation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) did not differ between groups. Patients with BR&RA had significantly reduced FEV1% predicted, and more had BR-related hospitalisations.View this table:Table 1Conclusion Bronchiectasis severity is increased in BR&RA compared to BR alone. This may be due to referral selection or true disease severity; similar microbiological profiles suggest the BSI differences are not explained by referral bias due to bacterial colonisation. We suggest that early respiratory referral from rheumatology is warranted in such patients. Further research will help determine if there is an underlying mechanism for BR&RA pulmonary disease severity.