Rheumatoid lung disease
| Rheumatoid lung disease | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Rheumatology  |
Rheumatoid Lung Disease, also called Rheumatoid Lung is a disease of the lung associated with rheumatoid arthritis. It is estimated that about one quarter of people with rheumatoid arthritis develop Rheumatoid Lung Disease.[1]
History
Rheumatoid Lung was first described in 1948.[2]
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms of rheumatoid lung are as follows (commonest first):
- Pleural involvement (pleurisy, effusions)
- Pulmonary parenchymal nodules
- Rheumatoid-associated interstitial lung disease
- Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia
- Obliterative bronchiolitis (obstructive lung disease/bronchiectasis)
- Rheumatoid-associated pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary vasculitis/arteritis
- Shrinking lung syndrome
- Miscellaneous: MTX, cricoarytenoid arthritis, infection, cancer
Rheumatoid lung is separate from but often associated with Interstitial lung disease.