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Review
. 2022 Feb 18;14(2):e22367.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.22367. eCollection 2022 Feb.

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Associated Lung Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Ahmad T Azam  1 , Oladipo Odeyinka  2 , Rasha Alhashimi  3 , Sankeerth Thoota  4 , Tejaswini Ashok  5 , Vishnu Palyam  6 , Ibrahim Sange  7
Affiliations
Review

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Associated Lung Diseases: A Comprehensive Review

Ahmad T Azam et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent autoimmune disorder affecting 0.5-1% of the population in North America and Europe. Pulmonary manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients result in significant morbidity and mortality. Management of these pulmonary manifestations in RA patients causes various challenges for the physicians. This review article has discussed the current state of knowledge of these pulmonary manifestations, including interstitial lung diseases, airway-related diseases, pulmonary vasculature, and pleural involvement in RA patients. This review article has also explored various pharmacological options, including steroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), immunosuppressive drugs, and biologic agents. Non-pharmacological options include conservative treatment, supplemental oxygen, pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking cessation, and lung transplantation.

Keywords: complication of rheumatoid arthritis; interstitial lung disease; progressive interstitial lung disease; rheumatoid arthritis; rheumatoid disorder.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Risk factors of RA-ILD
RA - Rheumatoid Arthritis, ILD- Interstitial Lung Diseases
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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