SAT0070 LUNG ULTRASOUND IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND THE DEFINITION OF SIGNIFICANT INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 969.1-970
Author(s):  
M. DI Carlo ◽  
M. Tardella ◽  
E. Filippucci ◽  
F. Salaffi

Background:In recent years, a growing interest has grown around interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest remains the diagnostic method of choice, increasing attention has been directed towards lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis of ILD in connective tissue diseases. LUS allows the detection of artifacts (B-lines) characteristic of ILD, without the need to use ionizing radiation. However, it is not yet well defined how to interpret the LUS findings under suspicion of RA-ILD.Objectives:To determine the cut-off number of LUS B-lines that identifies a significant RA-ILD.Methods:A cross sectional study was conducted on consecutive RA patients with suspected RA-ILD. The inclusion criteria were clinical (dyspnea, velcro sounds), instrumental (suggestive anomalies on conventional radiography, DLco reduction), or in presence of at least two of the following risk factors for RA-ILD: smoking habit, male sex, advanced age, and ACPA presence.Patients underwent LUS, chest HRCT, pulmonary function tests, and clinical evaluation. The diagnosis of RA-ILD was based on a semi-quantitative evaluation of HRCT using a computer-aided method (CaM). The 10% of fibrosis, measured with this method, was considered as a cut-off for the presence of significant RA-ILD. The LUS was carried out in 14 defined intercostal spaces using a linear multifrequency probe 6-18 MHz (MyLab Class C, Esaote S.p.A., Genoa, Italy) and the number of B-lines present in each intercostal space was counted and summed up (Figure 1). The discriminating validity of the LUS versus HRCT has been studied by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Figure 1.LUS B-line illustrative.Results:72 consecutive RA patients (21 male, 51 female) were evaluated, with a mean age of 63.0 (SD 11.5 years), a mean ACPA titre of 327.6 (SD 633.3) U/ml and a rheumatoid factor of 324.6 (SD 748.7) U/ml. The mean estimate of pulmonary fibrosis using the CaM was 11.2% (SD 7.5) at HRCT, while at LUS the mean number of B-lines was 10.6 (SD 15.1). Pulmonary fibrosis of 10% as measured by the CaM at HRCT was detected in 25 patients (34.72%). Applying this HRCT cut-off point as an estimate of significant fibrosis, the presence of 9 B-lines was found to be the optimal cut-off at ROC curve analysis. This LUS cut-off defines the presence of significant fibrosis with a sensitivity of 70.0%, a specificity of 97.62%, and a positive likelihood ratio of 29.4 (Figure 2).Figure 2.Area under the ROC curve to determine the number of B-lines at LUS to define a significant RA-ILD, applying the 10% of fibrosis at chest HRCT measured by OsiriX as external criterion.Conclusion:The present study provided data to determine the number of B-lines to identify a significant RA-ILD. LUS may represent a useful technique to select RA patients to be assessed by chest HRCT.References:[1] Tardella M, et al. Ultrasound B-lines in the evaluation of interstitial lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis: Cut-off point definition for the presence of significant pulmonary fibrosis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(18):e0566.[2] Salaffi F, et al. High-resolution computed tomography of the lung in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Prevalence of interstitial lung disease involvement and determinants of abnormalities. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(38):e17088.Disclosure of Interests:Marco Di Carlo: None declared, Marika Tardella: None declared, Emilio Filippucci Speakers bureau: Dr. Filippucci reports personal fees from AbbVie, personal fees from Bristol-Myers Squibb, personal fees from Celgene, personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Union Chimique Belge Pharma, personal fees from Pfizer, outside the submitted work., Fausto Salaffi: None declared

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Di Carlo ◽  
Marika Tardella ◽  
Emilio Filippucci ◽  
Marina Carotti ◽  
Fausto Salaffi

Abstract Background. In recent years, a growing interest has grown around interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest remains the diagnostic method of choice, increasing attention has been directed towards lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis of ILD in connective tissue diseases. However, in patients with RA it is not yet clear how to interpret, in quantitative terms, the presence of B-lines, the LUS artifact indicative of ILD. The aim of this study was to determine the cut-off number of LUS B-lines that identifies a significant RA-ILD.Methods. A cross sectional study was conducted on consecutive RA patients with suspected RA-ILD. The inclusion criteria were clinical (dyspnea, velcro sounds), instrumental (suggestive anomalies on conventional radiography, DLco reduction), or in presence of at least two of the following risk factors for RA-ILD: smoking habit, male sex, advanced age, and ACPA presence.Patients underwent LUS (carried out in 14 defined intercostal spaces), chest HRCT, pulmonary function tests, and clinical evaluation. The diagnosis of RA-ILD was based on a semi-quantitative evaluation of chest HRCT using a computer-aided method (CaM). The discriminative validity of the LUS versus HRCT has been studied by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Results. 72 consecutive RA patients (21 male, 51 female) were evaluated, with a mean age of 63.0 (SD 11.5 years). The mean estimate of pulmonary fibrosis using the CaM was 11.20% (SD 7.48) at chest HRCT, while at LUS the mean number of B-lines was 10.65 (SD 15.11). A significant RA-ILD, as measured by the CaM at HRCT, was detected in 25 patients (34.7%). The presence of 9 B-lines was found to be the optimal cut-off at ROC curve analysis. This LUS cut-off defines the presence of significant RA-ILD with a sensitivity of 70.0%, a specificity of 97.62%, and a positive likelihood ratio of 29.4.Conclusion. The present study provided data to determine the number of B-lines to identify a significant RA-ILD. LUS may represent a useful technique to select RA patients to be assessed by chest HRCT.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Di Carlo ◽  
Marika Tardella ◽  
Emilio Filippucci ◽  
Marina Carotti ◽  
Fausto Salaffi

Abstract Background In recent years, a growing interest has grown around interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the chest remains the diagnostic method of choice, increasing attention has been directed towards lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis of ILD in connective tissue diseases. However, it is not yet well defined how to interpret the LUS findings under suspicion of RA-ILD. The aim of this study was to determine the cut-off number of LUS B-lines that identifies a significant RA-ILD. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted on consecutive RA patients with suspected RA-ILD. The inclusion criteria were clinical (dyspnea, velcro sounds), instrumental (suggestive anomalies on conventional radiography, DLco reduction), or in presence of at least two of the following risk factors for RA-ILD: smoking habit, male sex, advanced age, and ACPA presence. Patients underwent LUS (carried out in 14 defined intercostal spaces), chest HRCT, pulmonary function tests, and clinical evaluation. The diagnosis of RA-ILD was based on a semi-quantitative evaluation of chest HRCT using a computer-aided method (CaM). The discriminative validity of the LUS versus HRCT has been studied by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results 72 consecutive RA patients (21 male, 51 female) were evaluated, with a mean age of 63.0 (SD 11.5 years). The mean estimate of pulmonary fibrosis using the CaM was 11.20% (SD 7.48) at chest HRCT, while at LUS the mean number of B-lines was 10.65 (SD 15.11). A significant RA-ILD, as measured by the CaM at HRCT, was detected in 25 patients (34.7%). The presence of 9 B-lines was found to be the optimal cut-off at ROC curve analysis. This LUS cut-off defines the presence of significant RA-ILD with a sensitivity of 70.0%, a specificity of 97.62%, and a positive likelihood ratio of 29.4. Conclusion The present study provided data to determine the number of B-lines to identify a significant RA-ILD. LUS may represent a useful technique to select RA patients to be assessed by chest HRCT.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 594.2-594
Author(s):  
F. Godoy-Navarrete ◽  
F. G. Jiménez-Núñez ◽  
N. Mena-Vázquez ◽  
C. M. Romero-Barco ◽  
G. Diaz Cordoves ◽  
...  

Background:Objectives:To analyze the diagnostic utility of lung ultrasound (US) to detect interstitial lung disease (ILD) in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients comparing with high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT).Methods:Study design: We performed a cross-sectional, observational study in patients with RA-ILD (cases) controlled with a gruop of RA patients without ILD (controls) paired by sex, age and time of disease evolution.Protocol: Patients were selected between May and September 2019. Patients were interwied by two rheumathologist for the protocolized collection of clinical data. The patients were assessed using HRCT, Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) and lung US.. The rheumatology who performed the lung US were blinded to patients clinical data. Variables: (1) B-lines number; (2) evaluation of the lung- ultrasound score already described: L. Gargani, Gutiérrez comprehensivo, Gutiérrez reducido and Mohhammadi;(3)pleural irregularities; (4) A pattern US lost;(5). Other variables included demographic, clinical-analytical, therapeutic and ILD-type description. Statistical analysis: descriptive, bivariant analysis. We applied Pearson’s correlation coefficient between B-lines, PFT and clinical variable.Furthermore, to establish the cut-off point of the US B-lines number for detecting the presence of significant AR-ILD in relation to HRCT, we used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the intercostal spaces (IV: B-lines number in each space) wich wereindependently associated with ILD (DV: ILD in HRCT).Results:71 patients were included, 37 (52,1%) with ILD-RA and 34 (47,95) RA controls. The main characteristics are shown in Table 1. RA-ILD presented more B-lines number than control without ILD (median ICR] 91.0 [31.0-149.0] vs 6.5 [1.5-30.5]; p=<0.001) and more pleural irregularities (PI) [PI-median(ICR) 41.0 (5.0-57.5) vs 2.5 (0.0-7.2); p<0,001]. Furthermore, RA-ILD showed a negative correlation between B-lines and DLCO(r =-0.337, p=0.048)and positive with DAS28 (r =0.347, p=0.035). Regarding US score, we found that the detection of 32.5 B-lines in 72 intercostal spaces, had aSensitivity of 75.7%, Specifity=79.4%, PPV= 80% and NPV=75%,whilst in reduced score of 10 intercostal spaces, the detection of 5.5 B-lines had a sensivity= 62.2%,Specifity= 91.3%, PPV=88.4%, NPV=69.5%. In multivariate analysis, the intercostal spaces which showed independent association with ILD were 3rdright anterior axillary space(OR [IC 95%] 19.0 [1.3-27.5]), 8thright posterior axillary space (OR [IC 95%] 0.04 [0.0-0.6]), 8thright subescapular space (OR [IC 95%] 16.5 [1.8-45.5]),9thright paravertebral space (OR [IC 95%] 7.11 [1.0-37.1]) and 2ndleft clavicular middle space(OR [IC 95%] 21.9 [1,26-37.8]).Conclusion:Lung Ultrasoud could be a useful tool for interstitial lung disease diagnosis associated with Rheumatoid Artrithis. A 10 space reduced score showed a similar total predictive capacity than 72-space scoreReferences:Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 982.2-982
Author(s):  
C. Aguilera Cros ◽  
M. Gomez Vargas ◽  
R. J. Gil Velez ◽  
J. A. Rodriguez Portal

Background:There is no specific treatment for interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) other than the treatment of RA without extra-articular involvement. Current regimens usually include corticosteroid therapy with or without immunosuppressants (IS), there is no consensus for the treatment.Objectives:To analyze the different treatment regimens in a cohort of patients with ILD and RA in our clinical practice.Methods:Descriptive study of 57 patients treated in our Hospital (1/1/2018 until 12/31/2019) with a diagnosis of RA (ACR 2010 criteria) and secondary ILD.The most recent American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS)/Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS)/Latin American Thoracic Society (ALAT) guidelines define three HRCT (High Resolution Computed Tomography) patterns of fibrosing lung disease in the setting of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF): definite Usual Interstitial pneumonia (UIP) (traction bronchiectasis and honeycombing), possible UIP and inconsistent with UIP. The distinction between definite UIP and possible UIP in these to the presence or absence of honeycombing. Approved by the Ethics Committee.Quantitative variables are expressed as mean (SD) and dichotomous variables as percentages (%). Statistical analysis with SPSS version 21.Results:21 men and 36 women were included, with a mean age of 69 ± 10 years (mean ± SD), history of smoking (smokers 14%, non-smokers 43%, former smokers 42%). Clinical ILD at diagnosis (dyspnea 61%, dry cough 56%, crackling 70%, acropachy 7%). 84% were positive rheumatoid factor and 70% positive anticitrullinated protein antibody.Diagnosis of ILD by HRCT in 100% of patients with different patterns: defined UIP 26 (45%), probable UIP 2 (3%) and not UIP 29 (50%). The diagnosis of ILD was confirmed by biopsy in 12 patients.79% underwent (T) treatment prior to the diagnosis of ILD with glucocorticoids and disease-modifying drugs (DMARD). Among the traditional DMARDs used were: Methotrexate 68% (there were no cases of MTX pneumonitis), Leflunomide 47%, Hydroxychloroquine 26% and Sulfasalazine 21%. Biological therapy in 15 patients: Etanercept 19%, Adalimumab 5%, Infliximab 3% and Certolizumab 2%. Two patients presented an exacerbation and rapid progression of the ILD during the T with Etanercept with the final result of death.T with IS after the diagnosis of ILD in 80% of patients (Azathioprine 15, Rituximab 14, Abatacept 10, Tocilizumab 4, Sarilumab 1, Mofetil mycophenolate 1 and Cyclophosphamide 1).Two patients with defined UIP perform T with antifibrotic: 1st Nintedanib (INBUILD Trial, This article was published on September 29, 2019, at NEJM.org) 2nd Pirfenidone (initial diagnosis of IPF Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and subsequent of seropositive RA with UIP). Both improved greater than 10% in forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in the 6 months after onset of T.Conclusion:Our results, in general, agree with what is published in the literature. Prospective, multicentre and larger sample studies are necessary to better define which patients would benefit more from IS T or antifibrotic T (or if the antifibrotic should be added to the previous IS).Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 675.1-675
Author(s):  
C. Bruni ◽  
L. Mattolini ◽  
L. Tofani ◽  
L. Gargani ◽  
N. Landini ◽  
...  

Background:Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the most common complications and one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of ILD and it allows its quantification. Among semi-quantitative methods, Goh et al proposed a semi-quantitative scoring system to visually quantify ILD extent, with categorical cut-off of 20% to distinguish limited and extensive parenchymal involvement with prognostic implications. More recently, the use of radiomics has allowed the objective quantification of ILD through the use of dedicated software, which calculate different parameters of lung density.Given the exposure to ionizing radiation that the procedure entails, other methods of ILD evaluation are being studied, among which lung ultrasound (LUS) identifies the B-lines as a main feature of ILD. So far, different evidences have proposed the use of LUS for the screening of ILD, even in the early phases of the disease and in subclinical lung involvement.Objectives:the aim of this study is to test the role of LUS in quantifying the severity of SSc-ILD, evaluated with both semi-quantitative visual radiological and quantitative radiomic scores.Methods:Adult SSc patients classified according to the ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria patients were assessed with pulmonary function test (PFTs), lung ultrasound and HRCT over 60 days. CT images were analysed qualitatively (by presence/absence of ILD), semi-quantitatively (categorical Goh score <20% vs> 20% of extent and the continuous extent Goh score made from 5 levels’ assessment– 0 to 100%) and quantitatively [with the densitometric radiomic data obtained through the Horos software - Mean lung attenuation (MLA), Standard Deviation (SD), Kurtosis, Skewness and Lung volume (LV)]. LUS was used to quantify the B-lines detected in each patient by scanning a total of 13 intercostal spaces, on both anterior and posterior chest wall.Results:Among 59 SSc patients (81% women, mean age 48±14 years, 45% anti-Scl70 positive), 23 (39%) presented ILD on HRCT, of which 14 limited and 9 extensive. The mean visual semi-quantitative score was 6%, ranging from 0 to 66%. Our data showed a significantly different number of B-Lines in ILD vs non-ILD patients (median 38 vs 9, p <.005), a result which was further confirmed among non-ILD vs ILD> 20% (median 47 vs 9, p=.001) and ILD <20% (median 36 vs 9, p=.001) patients. Conversely, the number of B-lines was not statistically different between patients with ILD <20% and >20% (median 47 vs 36, p=.78). We observed a significant negative correlation between the number of B-lines and FVC (r=-.472, p<.05) TLC (r=-.436, p=.003), DLco (r=-.515, p<.001), DLCO/VA (r=.-306, p=.03). Finally, the number of B-lines showed a statistically significant correlation with the Goh score on 5 levels (r=.437, p=.001), MLA (r=.571, p<.001), kurtosis (r=-.285, p=.028), skewness (r=-.370, p = .004) and LV (r=-.277, p=.033). All data were confirmed analysing anterior and posterior B-Lines separately.Conclusion:Our study confirms that LUS represents a useful tool for the identification of SSc-ILD. In addition, we showed that LUS may be useful also for the quantification of the severity of SSc-ILD, by correlating with PFT parameters, radiomics parameters and visual radiological evaluation. Together with the PFTs, LUS could be used to increase the accuracy of the screening and, potentially, of the follow-up of SSc-ILD patients.Disclosure of Interests:Cosimo Bruni: None declared, Lavinia Mattolini: None declared, Lorenzo Tofani: None declared, Luna Gargani Consultant of: GE Healthcare, Philips Healthcare and Caption Health, Nicholas Landini: None declared, Gemma Lepri: None declared, Martina Orlandi: None declared, Serena Guiducci: None declared, Silvia Bellando Randone: None declared, Marco Matucci-Cerinic: None declared


2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 588-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua J. Solomon ◽  
Jonathan H. Chung ◽  
Gregory P. Cosgrove ◽  
M. Kristen Demoruelle ◽  
Evans R. Fernandez-Perez ◽  
...  

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis. There is lack of clarity around predictors of mortality and disease behaviour over time in these patients.We identified rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) patients evaluated at National Jewish Health (Denver, CO, USA) from 1995 to 2013 whose baseline high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans showed either a nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) or a “definite” or “possible” usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern. We used univariate, multivariate and longitudinal analytical methods to identify clinical predictors of mortality and to model disease behaviour over time.The cohort included 137 subjects; 108 had UIP on HRCT (RA-UIP) and 29 had NSIP on HRCT (RA-NSIP). Those with RA-UIP had a shorter survival time than those with RA-NSIP (log rank p=0.02). In a model controlling for age, sex, smoking and HRCT pattern, a lower baseline % predicted forced vital capacity (FVC % pred) (HR 1.46; p<0.0001) and a 10% decline in FVC % pred from baseline to any time during follow up (HR 2.57; p<0.0001) were independently associated with an increased risk of death.Data from this study suggest that in RA-ILD, disease progression and survival differ between subgroups defined by HRCT pattern; however, when controlling for potentially influential variables, pulmonary physiology, but not HRCT pattern, independently predicts mortality.


2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Kass ◽  
Mehdi Nouraie ◽  
Marilyn K. Glassberg ◽  
Nitya Ramreddy ◽  
Karen Fernandez ◽  
...  

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