Biomaterial Database

Changes of the lung in rheumatoid arthritis--rheumatoid pneumonia. A clinicopathological study. 1991

M Bély, and A Apáthy

National Institute of Rheumatology, Budapest, Hungary.

The frequency and patho-histological characteristics of pulmonary changes were studied on the autopsy material of 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The formal pathogenesis and different stages of vasculitis, rheumatoid nodule, interstitial pneumonia, rheumatoid pleuritis, obliterative bronchiolitis, amyloidosis and the so-called rheumatoid pneumonia in the lungs is discussed. The rheumatoid pneumonia is a disseminating inflammatory lobular-sublobular process, not described previously. The frequency of rheumatoid pneumonia was 4%. The rheumatoid pneumonia is characterized by the necrotic vasculitis, fibrinoid necrosis or thrombovasculitis of the pulmonary and bronchial arterioles, and of small arteries. Because of the diminished blood supply distal to the vascular changes inflammatory foci may develop, more or less respecting the anatomic borders of pulmonary tissue. The lobular-sublobular inflammation is basically of non haemorrhagic character. Because of the recurrent nature of vasculitis, foci of inflammation in different stages can be observed in the lungs simultaneously side by side. Clinically the rheumatoid pneumonia was accompanied by severe RA, according to the frequency and severity of acute exacerbations. In all 4 cases of rheumatoid pneumonia the pulmonary process had been proven clinically and radiologically. Rheumatoid pneumonia occurred subsequent to recurrent arthritis following steroid withdrawal, and it was resistant to antibiotics.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008168	Lung	Either of the pair of organs occupying the cavity of the thorax that effect the aeration of the blood.	Lungs
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010995	Pleural Diseases	Diseases involving the PLEURA.	Disease, Pleural,Diseases, Pleural,Pleural Disease
D011014	Pneumonia	Infection of the lung often accompanied by inflammation.	Experimental Lung Inflammation,Lobar Pneumonia,Lung Inflammation,Pneumonia, Lobar,Pneumonitis,Pulmonary Inflammation,Experimental Lung Inflammations,Inflammation, Experimental Lung,Inflammation, Lung,Inflammation, Pulmonary,Inflammations, Lung,Inflammations, Pulmonary,Lobar Pneumonias,Lung Inflammation, Experimental,Lung Inflammations,Lung Inflammations, Experimental,Pneumonias,Pneumonias, Lobar,Pneumonitides,Pulmonary Inflammations
D011658	Pulmonary Fibrosis	A process in which normal lung tissues are progressively replaced by FIBROBLASTS and COLLAGEN causing an irreversible loss of the ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream via PULMONARY ALVEOLI. Patients show progressive DYSPNEA finally resulting in death.	Alveolitis, Fibrosing,Idiopathic Diffuse Interstitial Pulmonary Fibrosis,Fibroses, Pulmonary,Fibrosis, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Fibroses,Alveolitides, Fibrosing,Fibrosing Alveolitides,Fibrosing Alveolitis
D001989	Bronchiolitis Obliterans	Inflammation of the BRONCHIOLES leading to an obstructive lung disease. Bronchioles are characterized by fibrous granulation tissue with bronchial exudates in the lumens. Clinical features include a nonproductive cough and DYSPNEA.	Bronchiolitis, Exudative,Bronchiolitis, Proliferative,Constrictive Bronchiolitis,Exudative Bronchiolitis,Proliferative Bronchiolitis,Bronchiolitides, Constrictive,Bronchiolitides, Exudative,Bronchiolitides, Proliferative,Bronchiolitis, Constrictive,Constrictive Bronchiolitides,Exudative Bronchiolitides,Proliferative Bronchiolitides
D002205	Caplan Syndrome	A condition characterized by the presence of RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS associated with a specific form of pneumoconiosis, often in coal miners and asbestos workers.	Caplan's Syndrome,Caplan Syndromes,Caplans Syndrome
D005260	Female		Females