Ultrasound abnormalities and additional pulmonary function test changes present in 16 percent of cases, indicating ILI<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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FRIDAY, Dec. 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) — For asymptomatic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, a new radiation-free screening protocol can identify suspected interstitial lung involvement (ILI), according to a study published online Nov. 23 in BMC Pulmonary Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Frank Reichenberger, M.D., from Augustinum Hospital Munich, and colleagues proposed a noninvasive, radiation-free approach to ILI screening using pulmonary function tests (PFT) and pleuro-pulmonary transthoracic ultrasound (LUS) with additional cardiopulmonary exercise tests with electrocardiography and echocardiography. The study included 67 consecutive patients with a confirmed diagnosis of seropositive RA, without symptoms for or known cardiovascular disease. When significant LUS abnormalities and additional PFT changes were present, interstitial lung disease (ILD) was suspected.<\/p>\n The researchers found that 40 percent of patients had noticeable changes in LUS, 24 percent with a pattern compatible with ILD. LUS abnormalities and additional PFT changes were present in 16 percent of cases, and ILI was suspected. Obstructive lung disease; subpleural consolidation, including one confirmed lung cancer; minimal pleural effusion; and ischemic cardiac disease were included as additional findings (11, six, six, and two patients, respectively). Pulmonary vascular involvement was not seen in any of the patients.<\/p>\n “Our study supports the growing evidence and experience in using LUS for screening for RA-ILD,” the authors write. “We propose LUS as an appropriate imaging tool in combination with PFT for ILD screening in RA.”<\/p>\n The study was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim.<\/p>\n