الملخص الإنجليزي
Objectives: To find a correlation between Lung function with the
disease activity in Rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods: The study was carried out on 40 (35 female and 5 male)
patients with active RA who fulfilled the ARA 1987 reversed
criteria for the classification of RA. Patients with signs and
symptoms of respiratory disease or chest injury were excluded from
this study. The patients were all examine clinically by weighted and
selective index of active of synovitis and assessed for functional
status of the follwing; ESR, Hb % level pulmonary function tests
including FEV1, VC, FEV,/ FVC and DLCO. Another group of
30 (27 female and 3 male) patients with active RA served as a
control group.
Results: The results showed that Hb level ranged between (7-
13.3 gm/dl), ESR ranged between 11-131 mm/hr and restrictive
ventilatory defect was observed in 15 (37.5%) patients. Obstructive
ventilator defect was presened in 10 (25%) patients. And decrease
DLCO was detected in 23 (51.5%) patients. There was a positive
correlation between PETS with Hb%, ESR, Disease duration and
activity of synovitis (p< 0.05).
Conclusion: The Lung function can be used to stratify
abnormalities in a clinically useful manner and can be used as an
indicator of disease activity in RA.
