Title: HRCT Chest Findings in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Associated -Interstitial Lung Disease (RA-ILD)

Authors: Areca Wangnoo, Pankaj Banotra, Mohit Sharma, Annil Mahajan

 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v8i4.92

Abstract

 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease with a number of extra- articular manifestations including lung disease. Our purpose of the study was to assess the HRCT findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis associated lung diseases (RA-ILD).

Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted ona total of 36 patients of Rheumatoid arthritis associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). Patients were evaluated by physiological (pulmonary function test) and radiological methods (chest X-ray, HRCT chest). Chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical variables. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant

Results: UIP was the most common ILD seen in RA in our study. Chest X Ray showed reticulonodular pattern in 39.3% of patients, prominent vascular makings in 7.1% of patients and bilateral lower zone haziness in 32.1% of patients. PFT with restrictive pattern was seen in 50% of patients and obstructive pattern was seen in 7.1% of patients. On HRCT, reticulations were present in 35.7% of patients: honey combing was present in 53.6% of patients, ground glass opacities in 42.9%, pleural thickening in 10.7%, pleural effusion in 7.1%, pulmonary vascular prominence in 7.1%, rheumatoid nodules in 7.1% and bronchiectasis in 7.1%.

Conclusion: In the present study, UIP is the most common ILD. Honey combing and ground glass opacities most common finding on HRCT in these patients. As the duration of illness increases, need for screening for pulmonary involvement with Chest Xray, PFTs and HRCT is to be emphasized along with periodic chest examination.

Keywords:  Pulmonary, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Interstitial lung diseases, RA-ILD.

References

  • Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, Funovits J, Felson DT, Bingham CO et al. Rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology / European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Ann Rheum Dis 2010; 69: 1580-8
  • Richman N, Yazdany J, Graf J, Chernitskiy V, and Imboden J.Extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis in a multiethnic cohort of predominantly Hispanic and Asian patients. Medicine 2013; 92: 92-7
  • Hamblin M. and Horton M. Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: diagnostic dilemma. Pulmon Med 2011: 1-12
  • Chan E, Chapman K. and Kelly C. interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis; a review. Arthritis Research Topical Reviews Series 2013; 7: 1-4.
  • Doyle TJ, Lee JS, Dellaripa PF, Lederer JA, Matteson EL, Fischer A, et al. A roadmap to promote clinical and translational research in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease. Chest 2014; 145: 454-63
  • Gabbay L, Tarala R, Will R, Carroll G, Adler B, Cameron D. et al. Interstitial limy disease in new onset rheumatoid arthritis. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 1997; 156(2 (Part 1)): 528-36
  • Cavagna L, Monti S, Grosso V, Boffini N,Scorletti E, CrepaldiG , et al. The multifaceted aspects of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis. Biomed Res Int 2013; 2013: 759-60
  • De Lauretis A, Veeraraghavan S, Renzoni E. Connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease: how does it differ from IPF? How should the clinical approach differ? Chron Respir Dis 2011; 8:53-82
  • Bongartz T, Nannini C, Medina-Velasquez YF, Achenbach SJ, Crowson CS, Ryu JH et al. Incidence and mortality of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based study. Arthritis Rheum 2010 Jun;62: 1583-91
  • Assayag D, Lubin M, Lee JS, King TE, Collard HR, Ryerson CJ. Predictors of mortality in rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease. Respirology 2014; 19: 493-500
  • Saag KG, Cerhan JR, Kolluri S, Ohashi K, Hunninghake GW, Schwartz DA. Cigarette smoking and rheumatoid arthritis severity. Ann Rheum Dis 1997; 56: 463-9
  • Turesson C, Jacobsson L, Sturfelt G, Matteson E, Mathsson L. and Ronnelid J. et al. Rheumatoid factor and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides are associated with severe extra-articular manifestations in rheumatoid Arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2007; 66: 59-64
  • Kelly C, Saravanan V, Nisar M, Arthanari S, Woodhead F, Price-Forbes A, Dawson J, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease: associations, prognostic factors and physiological and radiological characteristics – a large multicentre UK study. Rheumatology 2014; 53: 1676-82
  • Fischer A, Solomon JJ, du Bois RM, Deane KD, Olson AL, Fernandez- Perez ER, et al. Lung disease with anti-CCP antibodies but not rheumatoid arthritis or connective tissue disease Respir Mod 2012; 106: 1040-7
  • Raghu G, Collard HR, Egan JJ, Martinez FJ, Behr J, Brown KK, et al. An official ATS/ ERS/ JRS/ALAT statement: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and management. Am J Respir CritCare Med 2011; 183: 788-824
  • Cottin V, Cordier JF. Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema in connective tissue disease. CurrOpinPulm Med 2012; 18:418-27
  • Bilgici A, Ulusoy H, Kuru O, Celenk C, Unsal M, Danaci M et al. Pulmonary involvement in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatol Int 2005; 25: 429-35
  • Fatima N, Shameem M, Malik A, Khan PA, Shujatullah F, Ahmed S, Nabeela. A Study on the Pulmonary Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis from a North Indian Town. Open Journal of Respiratory Diseases.2013; 3: 128-31
  • Kim EJ, Collard HR and King TE. Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: The Relevance of Histopathologic and Radiographic Pattern. Chest 2009; 136: 1397-1405
  • Dawson J, Fewins H, Desmond J, Lynch M and Graham D.Predictors of progression of HRCT diagnosed fibrosing alveolitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2002; 61: 517-21
  • Lee HK, Kim DS, Yoo B, Seo JB, Rho JY, Colby TV, Kitaichi M. Histopathologic pattern and clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease. Chest 2005; 127: 2019-27
  • Balbir-Gurman A, Yigla M, Nahir AM, Braun-Moscovici Y. Rheumatoid pleural effusion. Semin Arthritis Rheum.2006; 35:368–378
  • Biederer J, Schnabel A, Muhle C, Gross W, Heller M, Reuter M. et al. Correlation between HRCT findings, pulmonary function tests and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology in interstitial lung disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Eur Radiol 2004; 14: 272-80.

Corresponding Author

Areca Wangnoo

Residents, Department of General Medicine, Government Medical College, Jammu