Pleuro-Pulmonary Complications of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis-associated lung disease

“…However, only about 3-5% of patients are symptomatic [50,51]. Pleural disease is more common in older (aged >35 years) males and those with rheumatoid nodules.…”

“…Pleural involvement is a common pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis, with small pleural effusions noted in up to 70% on autopsy studies [50,51]. However, only about 3-5% of patients are symptomatic [50,51].…”

Back pain in a 59-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis

“…7 In a minority of patients, the pleural involvement is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. 8 There is little in the literature about whether the onset of pleural disease is an indication that a patient's rheumatoid arthritis will worsen. In the 1967 study, there were 22 instances of pleural effusion; 17 occurred more than five years after the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, and in 4 of these episodes, the patient's plural effusion was accompanied by a worsening of the rheumatoid arthritis.…”

Cavitary pulmonary nodules in rheumatoid arthritis; case reports and review of the literature

“…We searched case reports and case series published in the last 30 years with keywords including "rheumatoid arthritis, " "cavitary pulmonary nodules, " and "vasculitis" in the PubMed database (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15) usually granulomatous inflammation with necrosis in pathological specimens. Favorable outcomes were reported with corticosteroids and/or other immunosuppressive therapy except for 2 cases who died of sepsis and interstitial pneumonia.…”