This study was conducted on 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. All cases were subjected to ventilatory pulmonary junction rests, bronchial provocation tests using methacholine and bronchoalveolar lavage was taken to study its cellularity. 70% were found to have restrictive ventilatory defect and 30% were found to have only small airway obstruction. Of those having restrictive defect. 71.4% showed also small airway obstruction. Only 5% were found to have increased bronchial hyperreactivity. The total BAL cellular counts and number of neutrophils were significantly increased and alveolar macrophages were significantly reduced in all rheumatoid cases 'Men compared with the control group. Cases with mild joint affection were all having only small ainvay obstruction. 66.67% of restrictive cases were having severe joint affection. Conclusion: Not only the ventilatory pulntonary functions, bronchial hyperreactivity and BAL cellularity were affected in cases of rheumatoid arthritis but also they correlate well with the degree of joint affection. |
