Pulmonary involvement in rheumatoid arthritis: evaluation by radiography and spirometry.

Objective: To determine whether simple diagnostic methods can yield relevant disease information in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Patients with RA were randomly selected for inclusion in a cross-sectional study involving clinical evaluation of pulmonary function, including pulse oximetry (determination of SpO2, at rest), chest X-ray, and spirometry.

Results: A total of 246 RA patients underwent complete assessments.

Lung-dominant connective tissue disease among patients with interstitial lung disease: prevalence, functional stability, and common extrathoracic features.

Objective: To describe the characteristics of a cohort of patients with lung-dominant connective tissue disease (LD-CTD).

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), positive antinuclear antibody (ANA) results (≥ 1/320), with or without specific autoantibodies, and at least one clinical feature suggestive of connective tissue disease (CTD).

Results: Of the 1,998 patients screened, 52 initially met the criteria for a diagnosis of LD-CTD: 37% were male; the mean age at diagnosis was 56 years; and the median follow-up period was 48 months.

Evaluation of the extent of pulmonary cysts and their association with functional variables and serum markers in lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM).

Purpose: Although computed tomography (CT) has been used previously to assess disease severity in lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), the associations between the extent of pulmonary cysts on CT and six-minute walk test (6MWT), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-D) are not well established. We performed a cross-sectional study to quantify the extent of pulmonary cysts in CT and to establish their correlations with pulmonary function tests (PFTs), 6MWT results, including a composite index (desaturation-distance ratio, DDR), and levels of VEGF-D and MMPs in LAM.

Methods: Twenty-three LAM patients underwent CT scanning to automatically quantify the extent of pulmonary cysts and performed PFTs and 6MWT.

Clinical course and characterisation of lymphangioleiomyomatosis in a Brazilian reference centre.

Background And Objective: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare disease that promotes pulmonary cystic destruction and impairs pulmonary function. We aim to describe features and clinical course of LAM patients from Brazil.

Methods: We described the clinical and functional features, performance in six minute walk test (6MWT), management details, survival and clinical course of 84 LAM patients followed in a Brazilian reference centre.

Adalimumab-induced acute interstitial lung disease in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

The use of immunobiological agents for the treatment of autoimmune diseases is increasing in medical practice. Anti-TNF therapies have been increasingly used in refractory autoimmune diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis, with promising results. However, the use of such therapies has been associated with an increased risk of developing other autoimmune diseases.

Interpretation of autoantibody positivity in interstitial lung disease and lung-dominant connective tissue disease.

The initial evaluation of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) primarily involves a comprehensive, active search for the cause. Autoantibody assays, which can suggest the presence of a rheumatic disease, are routinely performed at various referral centers. When interstitial lung involvement is the condition that allows the definitive diagnosis of connective tissue disease and the classical criteria are met, there is little debate.