scholarly journals Interstitial Lung Disease and its Associations in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Data from a District General Hospital in Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117954412110287
Author(s):  
Geetha Wickrematilake

Context: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent pulmonary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). No Sri Lankan studies have determined the prevalence of lung disease in RA and its associations. Aims: To find the prevalence of ILD in RA and its association with rheumatoid factor (RF), erosions, Disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS 28), disease duration, Body mass index(BMI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), smoking, and also to determine the prevalence of lung disease with demographic factors like age, sex, and income. Settings and Design: Questionnaire based retrospective study at a District General Hospital in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods: Diagnosed RA patients included through convenient sampling as it was a simple method that could facilitate data collection in a short duration. Since all patients with a diagnosis of RA were eligible, all consecutive patients with a diagnosis of RA at the rheumatology clinics were included in the study. To reduce the bias a large sample of patients were used as well as patients attending different rheumatology clinics were included and also patients who were referred to the hospital from peripheries were included in the study. The calculated sample size was 384 and according to patient numbers attending clinics, a period of 6 months was decided to select the study sample. Statistical Analysis Used: Chi-Square calculation and logistic regression analysis using Minitab 17 software. Results: From 384 patients, the prevalence of ILD was 14.58%, been 5.4% in early RA (<2 years disease duration). Mean age of ILD group was 52.94 years (95% CI 64.66-41.22). Mean RA duration was 7.69 years (95% CI, 2.38-12.99). Male to female sex ratio of RA was 1:7, and that of ILD was 2:9. DAS 28 was 4.58 (95% CI, 3.48-5.68). Statistically significant associations were noted with ILD and DAS 28 ( P = .0006), ESR ( P = .005), RF ( P = .03), erosions ( P < .00001), and smoking ( P < .05). Mean BMI was 22.67 kg and 75.78% had low income (<50 000 rupees/month = 327 US $). Conclusions: ILD significantly associates RA severity indices like DAS 28, ESR, erosions, RF, and also with smoking. No significant association was found with BMI or gender difference. Therefore, disease severity indices could be used to predict progression to ILD in RA.

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1881.1-1881
Author(s):  
K. Salama ◽  
N. Ramsundar ◽  
V. Joshi ◽  
M. K. Nisar

Background:Interstitial lung disease is a well described extra-articular manifestation in a range of rheumatic diseases. It carries significant morbidity and mortality. Management of rheumatic diseases associated ILD (r-ILD) requires expertise as the needs of such patients are complex and treatment options limited. Historically, such complex ILD has been managed in tertiary referral centres.Objectives:We set up a combined service incorporating both rheumatology and respiratory domains in a district general hospital (DGH) to help patients avoid long journeys and improve their experience whilst focusing on an integrated care pathway. We evaluated the outcomes of the first set of patients managed in this proof-of-concept service model.Methods:Referrals were accepted from any hospital specialist involved in the management r-ILD. They were triaged by lead ILD pulmonologist to monthly ILD MDT comprising a rheumatologist, respiratory physician, a radiologist and ILD specialist nurse. Appropriate patients were booked into combined clinic, run by the respective rheumatology and chest specialists with ILD interest, attracting a multi-speciality tariff. All the data was recorded electronically with full access to demographics, disease parameters, investigations and drug management.Results:89 patients were included in this proof-of-concept. Mean age was 66.1 yrs (19-90 yrs) and 44% (n=39) were male. 35 (40%) had RA, 34 (39%) had CTD, eight (10%) had sarcoidosis, five had IPAF and seven others. Most predominant HRCT pattern was NSIP (n=53,60%) followed by UIP (n=23, 21%), sarcoid (n=10, 12%) and miscellaneous (LIP and mixed). Mean FVC was 2.64 L/min (1.93-4.13) with DLCOc of 52.7% (28.9-90.1%) predicted. Only two patients had all antibodies negative whilst 87 had at least one antibody positive with ANA being the most common (n=28).Most (83%) patients were treated with immunomodulators including nine with rituximab. 39 (44.3%) patients had significant improvement in clinical, imaging and pulmonary parameters with DLCOc improving to 56.57% and FVC to 2.70 L/min. There were similar improvements in six minute walk test. 17 patients died and 20 patients required long term oxygen therapy.Conclusion:This proof-of-concept real world study confirms the utility of a combined specialist service in a district general hospital. Nearly half of this complex and resource intensive patient cohort had good clinical outcomes and derived benefit from the expertise in one room. Feedback from both patients and referrers was unanimously positive. No patient required tertiary centre referral and all could be managed adequately in the clinical setting.Our report confirms that r-ILD can be managed in a DGH setting with a stream-lined service offering clear benefits to patients. We would argue that r-ILD service, congruent to satellite pulmonary hypertension clinics in secondary care with hub-and-spoke model liaison with tertiary centre, can be established on similar principles and could help over-stretched tertiary care with repatriation of services whilst helping develop local expertise in the management of chronic ILD.Disclosure of Interests:Karim Salama: None declared, Natasha Ramsundar: None declared, Vijay Joshi: None declared, Muhammad Khurram Nisar Grant/research support from: Muhammad Nisar undertakes clinical trials and received support (including attendance at conferences, speaker fees and honoraria) from Roche, Chugai, MSD, Abbvie, Pfizer, BMS, Celgene, Novartis and UCB, Consultant of: Muhammad Nisar undertakes clinical trials and received support (including attendance at conferences, speaker fees and honoraria) from Roche, Chugai, MSD, Abbvie, Pfizer, BMS, Celgene, Novartis and UCB, Speakers bureau: Muhammad Nisar undertakes clinical trials and received support (including attendance at conferences, speaker fees and honoraria) from Roche, Chugai, MSD, Abbvie, Pfizer, BMS, Celgene, Novartis and UCB


Rheumatology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clive A Kelly ◽  
Mohamed Nisar ◽  
Suba Arthanari ◽  
Sarah Carty ◽  
Felix A Woodhead ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective This study explores whether the prognosis of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-ILD) has improved over time and assesses the potential influence of drug therapy in a large multicentre UK network. Methods We analysed data from 18 UK centres on patients meeting criteria for both RA and ILD diagnosed over a 25-year period. Data included age, disease duration, outcome and cause of death. We compared all cause and respiratory mortality between RA controls and RA-ILD patients, assessing the influence of specific drugs on mortality in four quartiles based on year of diagnosis. Results A total of 290 RA-ILD patients were identified. All cause (respiratory) mortality was increased at 30% (18%) compared with controls 21% (7%) (P =0.02). Overall, prognosis improved over quartiles with median age at death rising from 63 years to 78 years (P =0.01). No effect on mortality was detected as a result of DMARD use in RA-ILD. Relative risk (RR) of death from any cause was increased among patients who had received anti-TNF therapy [2.09 (1.1–4.0)] P =0.03, while RR was lower in those treated with rituximab [0.52(0.1–2.1)] or mycophenolate [0.65 (0.2–2.0)]. Patients receiving rituximab as their first biologic had longer three (92%), five (82%) and seven year (80%) survival than those whose first biologic was an anti-TNF agent (82%, 76% and 64%, respectively) (P =0.037). Discussion This large retrospective multicentre study demonstrates survival of patients with RA-ILD has improved. This may relate to the increasing use of specific immunosuppressive and biologic agents.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Chen ◽  
YongHong Shi ◽  
XiaoPing Wang ◽  
Heqing Huang ◽  
Dana Ascherman

Objective. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to define high-resolution chest CT (HRCT) and pulmonary function test (PFT) abnormalities capable of identifying asymptomatic, preclinical forms of RA-ILD that may represent precursors to more severe fibrotic lung disease.Methods. We analyzed chest HRCTs in consecutively enrolled RA patients and subsequently classified these individuals as RA-ILD or RA-no ILD based on the presence/absence of ground glass opacification, septal thickening, reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, and/or honeycombing. Coexisting PFT abnormalities (reductions in percent predicted FEV1, FVC, TLC, and/or DLCO) were also used to further characterize occult respiratory defects.Results. 61% (63/103) of RA patients were classified as RA-ILD based on HRCT and PFT abnormalities, while 39% (40/103) were designated as RA-no ILD. 57/63 RA-ILD patients lacked symptoms of significant dyspnea or cough at the time of HRCT and PFT assessment. Compared with RA-no ILD, RA-ILD patients were older and had longer disease duration, higher articular disease activity, and more significant PFT abnormalities.Conclusion. HRCT represents an effective tool to detect occult/asymptomatic ILD that is highly prevalent in our unselected, university-based cohort of RA patients.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Daniel Rocha-Muñoz ◽  
Manuel Ponce-Guarneros ◽  
Jorge Ivan Gamez-Nava ◽  
Eva Maria Olivas-Flores ◽  
Mayra Mejía ◽  
...  

Objective. To evaluate whether serum titers of second-generation anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP2) are associated with the severity and extent of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-ILD).Methods. In across-sectional study, 39 RA-ILD patients confirmed by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were compared with 42 RA without lung involvement (RA only). Characteristics related to RA-ILD were assessed in all of the patients and serum anti-CCP2 titers quantified.Results. Higher anti-CCP2 titers were found in RA-ILD compared with RA only (medians 77.9 versus 30.2 U/mL,P<0.001). In the logistic regression analysis after adjustment for age, disease duration (DD), smoke exposure, disease activity, functioning, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and methotrexate (MTX) treatment duration, the characteristics associated with RA-ILD were higher anti-CCP2 titers (P=0.003) and + RF (P=0.002). In multivariate linear regression, the variables associated with severity of ground-glass score were anti-CCP2 titers (P=0.02) and with fibrosis score DD (P=0.01), anti-CCP2 titers (P<0.001), and MTX treatment duration (P<0.001).Conclusions. Anti-CCP2 antibodies are markers of severity and extent of RA-ILD in HRCT. Further longitudinal studies are required to identify if higher anti-CCP2 titers are associated with worst prognosis in RA-ILD.


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