Study on short term treatment response of connective tissue disease related interstitial lung disease

Abstract

Background: Interstitial lung disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients suffering from connective tissue diseases. Early detection and prompt recognition of symptoms with appropriate treatment is necessary for effective control of the disease and for better prognosis and long-term survival. Aim: To study the short-term treatment response of patients with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the treatment response of connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease patients treated with intravenous pulses of cyclophosphamide (CYP) based on improvements in lung function: forced vital capacity (FVC)% predicted, forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1)% predicted, dyspnea Borg scale and 6-minute walk test. To determine the factors affecting the treatment outcomes like age, sex, duration of the connective tissue disease, type of connective tissue disease, HRCT type, and presence of PAH. Methods: A cohort study was conducted in the Department of General Medicine, Rheumatology, and Pulmonology at the Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Thrissur, and Kerala from November 2015 to June 2017 that evaluated 74 patients having connective tissue disease-related ILD. A detailed history and a thorough clinical examination were done.