Acute exacerbation in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: a retrospective case control study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To investigate the risk factors and prognosis associated with acute exacerbation (AE) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Design

A retrospective case-control study.

Setting

A single academic hospital.

Participants

51 consecutive patients diagnosed with RA-ILD between 1995 and 2012. All patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for RA. ILD was diagnosed on the basis of clinical presentation, pulmonary function tests, high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings and lung biopsy findings.

Main outcome measures

Overall survival and cumulative AE incidence were analysed using Kaplan-Meier method. Cox hazards analysis was used to determine significant variables associate

SUBMITTER: Hozumi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3773638 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature