Diffuse Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis in Patients with a Positive Sheep Cell Agglutination Test

Review of American and English literature for the years 1963 and 1964 (Seventeenth Rheumatism Review)

“…Diffuse interstitial fibrosis was described in 2 additional patients. In one of these, the pulmonary vascular resistance was found to be normal (1220). In a patient reported to have "rheumatoid disease of the lung," pulmonary hypertension was the outstanding manifestation.…”

The Lungs in Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…It has been suggested that rheumatoid factor might contribute to the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis, by forming complexes with y-globulin which might be deposited in pulmonary capillaries (Tomasi et al 1962). Tests for rheumatoid factors in the blood serum are frequently positive in patients with fibrosing alveolitis but without arthritis (Franklin et al 1959, Tomasi et al 1962, Mackay & Ritchie 1965, Stretton & Leeming 1964, Turner-Warwick & Doniach 1965). But the positive results are generally at low titre, and found inonlyaminority of cases; e.g.…”