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. 1979 Jun;38(3):222–225. doi: 10.1136/ard.38.3.222

Airways obstruction in rheumatoid arthritis.

D M Geddes, M Webley, P A Emerson
PMCID: PMC1000439  PMID: 485577

Abstract

Owing to the report of an association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and obliterative bronchiolitis we have determined the prevalence of airflow obstruction in unselected patients with RA and normal chest radiographs. Spirometry was performed on 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 84 control subjects matched for age, sex, and smoking habits. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis had significantly lower values for FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and MMEFR when compared with the controls: 39 patients had abnormal spirometry, and at least 32 showed airways obstruction. The prevalence of airflow obstruction is remarkably high, and we suggest that airway disease may be the commonest form of lung involvement in rheumatoid arthritis.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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