Research progress of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease

Abstract

The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease is high,it is one of the main causes of death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The pathogenesis is not well defined and the natural history is unclear. The main symptoms are chronic cough and slowly progressive dyspnea.Pulmonary function tests show restrictive ventilation dysfunction. The most common image changes are ground-glass opacity, grid-like shadows, and honeycombing. Bronchoalveolar lavage shows the presence of alveolitis. The most common pathological type is usual interstitial pneumonia. The therapeutic efficacy of hormone and prognosis are poor. This article reviews the latest research progress of rheumatoid arthritisassociated interstitial lung disease. Key words: Rheumatoid arthritis; Interstitial lung disease