Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 4; no. 7; pp. 905 - 911
• Main Authors: van Thiel, RJ, van der Burg, S, Groote, AD, Nossent, GD, Wills, SH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.07.1991; Maney
• Subjects: Aged; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Bronchiolitis Obliterans - drug therapy; Bronchiolitis Obliterans - etiology; Bronchiolitis Obliterans - pathology; Humans; Lung - diagnostic imaging; Lung - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; Pneumology; Pneumonia - drug therapy; Pneumonia - etiology; Pneumonia - pathology; Prednisolone - therapeutic use; Radiography; Human; Pneumonia; Prognosis; Treatment; Radiodiagnosis; Respiratory disease; Lung; Complication; Exploration; Arthritis; Bronchiolitis obliterans; Elderly
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.93.04070905

Bronchiolitis obliterans, with or without organizing pneumonia, can be a serious and life-threatening complication of rheumatoid arthritis. We describe a case of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia in a patient who recently developed rheumatoid arthritis, presenting as a severe respiratory insufficiency. Diagnosis was made by means of open lung biopsy. Treatment with corticosteroids induced a quick response and substantial improvement of the respiratory symptoms. A simultaneous strong rise in titres of serological tests suggests a relationship between the bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia and the rheumatoid arthritis.