Abstract
BackgroundUltrasonography can detect different changes in anterior chest wall (ACW) joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) even before being clinically manifested. Airways, pleura, lung parenchyma, and vascular compartment all may be attacked by RA. This study was aiming at detecting the relation between ultrasonographic changes of asymptomatic ACW joints and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in patients with RA.ResultsUS detected subclinical changes of ACW joints in (74.2%) of RA patients with significant difference between total US changes in RA (74.2%) and control (21.2%) (p < 0.001). MSJ ankylosing and erosions were highly associated with limited chest expansion in RA group (P <0.001). Restrictive PFTs were associated with SCJ synovitis (p < 0.05), SCJ PD activity (p < 0.05), SCJ erosions (0.02), and highly associated with MSJ ankylosing and erosions (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that ultrasonographic subclinical changes in ACW joints are associated with restrictive pattern by spirometry and limited chest expansion in RA patients.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05119491. Registered 15 November 2021—retrospectively registered.
Highlights
Ultrasonography can detect different changes in anterior chest wall (ACW) joints in patients with rheu‐ matoid arthritis (RA) even before being clinically manifested
The use of some pulmonary function tests (PFTs) especially spirometry findings are widely known to provide objective measures of ventilatory functions in a trial to detect and quantify pulmonary impairment in many cardio-pulmonary diseases; low forced vital capacity (FVC) in the presence of a normal or elevated F EV1/FVC ratio has traditionally been classified as a restrictive pattern [12]
Impairment of some ventilatory functions which is usually evaluated by PFT as a part of the respiratory assessment of RA patients can be limited to individuals suffering from high disease activity, respiratory symptoms, and positive findings in the clinical respiratory examination [7]
Summary
Ultrasonography can detect different changes in anterior chest wall (ACW) joints in patients with rheu‐ matoid arthritis (RA) even before being clinically manifested. Pleura, lung parenchyma, and vascular compart‐ ment all may be attacked by RA. This study was aiming at detecting the relation between ultrasonographic changes of asymptomatic ACW joints and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in patients with RA. Airways ,pleura, lung parenchyma, and vascular compartments all may be affected by this disease [3]. Cross-sectional studies among patients with RA with interstitial lung problems or chest wall affection reported a high incidence of abnormal pulmonary function tests [6]. Different changes in anterior chest wall (ACW) joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be detected by ultrasonography even before being clinically manifested [7]
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