Lung involvement prevalence in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis without known pulmonary disease: a multicentric cross sectional study

Abstract Background: Clinically evident interstitial lung disease (ILD) affects between 10 and 42% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Airway involvement seems to be even more common. Most of the available evidence comes from studies performed in established RA patients. The aim of our study was to know the prevalence of non-diagnosed lung disease (airway and interstitial involvement) in patients with early RA and look for associated factors. Methods: We designed an observational, multicenter, cross-sectional study, and included patients with RA of less than two years since diagnosis. We performed a structured questionnaire, HRCT and lung functional tests looking for lung disease, together with joint disease evaluation. We analyzed which variables were associated with the presence of lung disease on HRCT. Results: We included 83 patients, 83% females. The median (IQR) of time since RA diagnosis was 3 (1-6) months. In the HRCT, 57 patients had airway compromisea (72%), and 6 had interstitial abnormalities (7.5%). The most common altertion found in lung functional tests was a reduced DLCO (14%). The presence of at least one abnormality in the physical exam was associated with lung involvement on HRCT [13 (21.6%) vs 0 (0%); p = 0.026]. Also, patients with lung involvement presented significantly lower values of FVC% and DLCO%, and higher values of RV/TLC. No variable related to joint involvement was found associated with alterations in HRCT. Conclusion: Our study shows that a large proportion of early RA patients has abnormal findings in HRCT. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.

Ateneo de un caso clínico: Mujer de 71 años con asma de difícil control / Atheneum of a clinical case: Woman of 71 years with asthma difficult to control

Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 71 años de edad, tabaquista pasiva, con historia de internaciones múltiples debido a episodios agudos de asma bronquial. Como antecedentes de relevancia, ella presentaba hipertensión arterial, hipotiroidismo y diagnóstico de asma con atopía y rinitis alérgica desde la adolescencia. Refería un franco empeoramiento de los síntomas desde hacía aproximadamente 24 meses. Para su asma estaba en tratamiento con budesonide 640 mcg diarios, formoterol 18 mcg diarios, montelukast 10 mg diarios, tiotropio 18 mcg diarios. Además recibía fluticasona nasal, omeprazol 40 mg, cinitaprida, levotiroxina y losartán. Pese a estar tratada con la medicación antes mencionada, persistía sintomática desde el punto de vista respiratorio con sibilancias audibles, disnea y tos requiriendo en varias oportunidades internación en sala general. Ella negaba exposición a hongos domésticos, ácaros, no tenía animales ni hobbies. Realizaba los quehaceres de su hogar, pero no mezclaba lavandina con detergentes ni otros productos irritantes

Aspergilosis broncopulmonar alérgica / Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Hombre de 76 años consulta por tos productiva de 10 días de evolución, sin fiebre. Antecedente de asma controlado, sin tratamiento de mantenimiento en la actualidad. No tabaquista. Se solicita Rx de tórax frente y rutina de laboratorio para iniciar su estudio