الفهرس 
Pulmonary Involvement in RheumatoidOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
SUMMARY
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is an increasingly
recognized complication of rheumatoid arthritis contributing to
significantly increased morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis can
be challenging since patients are unlikely to report dyspnea
due to an overall decrease in physical activity with advanced
arthritic symptoms. Additionally, the risk of death for RA
patients with ILD was 3 times higher than in RA patients
without ILD that‘s why early detection and management of
RA-ILD is essential.
In view of the above, the present study was undertaken to
assess the value of DLCO in early detection of pulmonary
involvement in non-smoker patients with Rheumatoid arthritis,
normal Chest X-ray &clinically free of respiratory symptoms.
The study included 29 females and one male ranging in
age from 21 to 66 years by mean 42.6 ± 1.9 years who
underwent PFTs and DLCO.
The results obtained were collected, tabulated and
submitted for statistical analysis.
The following results were obtained:
1) Among the 30 patients with RA, 20 cases (66. 67%) had
diffusion defect 17 had mild defect and 3 cases had
moderate diffusion defect.
2) A highly significant Positive correlation was found
between duration of RA (months) and the DLCO
severity (P value <0.001).
3) It was found that there is no correlation between RF
levels and DLCO severity
4) In Spirometric results of the present study, normal
pattern was the predominant pattern followed by
Restrictive pattern & small airway obstruction and the
least incidence was obstructive pattern.
5) There was a statistically significant correlation between
DLCO severity and decrease of FVC.
6) Methotrexate therapy was higher among patients with
abnormal DLCO. Even though on further analysis there
was no significant correlation between duration of MTX
use and DLCO severity.