Abstract
Introduction: autoimmune diseases are characterized by a systemic impairment giving many signs among them respiratory symptoms. The goal of this study is to assess the pulmonary impairment during autoimmune disease by plethysmography. Patients and methods: It is a retrospective study of the files of patients followed for a autoimmune disease and who had a pulmonary function exam done in our department between 2010 and 2012. Results: there were 47 patients; two patients out of three had a prespiratory impairment. The average age was 50 years old with extremes between 24 and 66 years old. 73% of the patients were women. The majority of patients had scleroderma (36%), 23% had ankylosing smpondylitis, 10% had respectively a mixed connective tissue disease and rheumatoid arthritis. 60% of the patients were under corticosteroid and 33% of them under immunosuppressive treatments. Respiratory impairment was found among 63% of our patients patients: 30% had a restrictive ventilatory defect, 6% had an obstructive ventilatory defect and 26% had an impairment of the small airways. Conclusion: respiratory impairment during autoimmune diseases is common, so it is important to have a complete study of the pulmonary function for these patients in order to assess the initial state of this function and to adapt the treatment according to the progress of the disease.
- © 2013 ERS
