Abstract
RA is a chronic systemic disease Pulmonary involvement is the most frequent manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. The goal of this study was to assess pulmonary involvement pattern in patients with RA by HRCT Scan in Bandar-abbas.
Methods: In this prospective study fifty patients with RA referred to rheumatology clinic in Bandar abbas were evaluated. Data were obtained included: age, sex, duration of disease, methotroxate usage, smoking, pulmonary chronic disease, clinical symptoms of pulmonary involvement and patient self assessment. After clinical and laboratory investigations, HRCT were performed.
Results: Mean age of 49.3 years. Three patients with respiratory symptoms and 47 patients without pulmonary complaint. The most frequent pulmonary involvement in HRCT findings sub pleural fibrosis (26%) and followed by air trapping and mosaic pattern (20%), pleural thickening (14%), honey combing (10%), pulmonary nodules (8%), pribronchial thickening (8%), ground glass pattern (8%). Bronchiectasis (8%), Alveolar (2%) and reticular pattern (2%). There was no statistically significant relationship between lung involvement pattern and, rheumatoid factor positivity, Anti ccp and methotroxate usage but correlation between HRCT findings and age, duration of the disease, disease activity (DAS 28) and respiratory symptoms was significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The results of our study indicate HRCT was useful for evaluation of pulmonary involvement in patients with RA although these patients had no respiratory symptoms. Larger and prospective studies are needed to assess of lung involvement pattern in HRCT in asymptomatic RA patients.
- © 2012 ERS
