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Can Rheumatoid Arthritis affect your lungs?
Although rheumatoid arthritis primarily affects joints, it sometimes also causes lung disease. Occasionally, lung problems surface before the joint inflammation and pain of rheumatoid arthritis.
The lung problems most often linked to rheumatoid arthritis include: Scarring within the lungs. Scarring related to long-term inflammation (interstitial lung disease) may cause shortness of breath, a chronic dry cough, fatigue, weakness, and loss of appetite.
The lung problems most often linked to rheumatoid arthritis include:
•Scarring within the lungs. Scarring related to long-term inflammation (interstitial lung disease) may cause shortness of breath, a chronic dry cough, fatigue, weakness, and loss of appetite.
•Lung nodules. Small lumps can form in the lungs (rheumatoid nodules), as well as in other parts of the body. Lung nodules usually cause no signs or symptoms, and they don't pose a risk of lung cancer. In some cases, however, a nodule can rupture and cause a collapsed lung.
•Pleural disease. The tissue surrounding the lungs, known as the pleura (PLOOR-uh), can become inflamed. Pleural inflammation is often accompanied by a buildup of fluid between two layers of the pleura (pleural effusion). Sometimes the fluid resolves on its own. A large pleural effusion, however, can cause shortness of breath. Pleural disease may also cause a fever and pain on breathing.
•Small airway obstruction. The walls of the lungs' small airways can become thickened because of chronic inflammation and infection (bronchiectasis) or inflamed or injured (bronchiolitis). This may cause mucus to build up in the lungs, as well as shortness of breath, a chronic dry cough, fatigue, and weakness.
What Is Interstitial Lung Disease?
Interstitial lung disease refers to a group of disorders characterized by inflammation and scarring of the lung tissue. In the case of RA-associated ILD, the scarring is caused when the over-active immune system attacks the lungs.
When the scarring builds up over time, breathing becomes difficult, and patients may need lung transplants to regain function.
Treatment of Interstitial Lung Disease
Interstitial lung disease is a progressive disease. It is hard to treat and has a high mortality rate. Different factors may affect survival rates including, type of ILD, RA disease duration, time of ILD diagnosis and extent of the disease, older age, male gender, smoking behavior, and the presence of lung tissue scarring. Early treatment of ILD reduces mortality risk.
Treatment options include:
•Corticosteroids and immunosuppressants: These treatments may not work the same way for everyone, and patients may experience medication side effects.
•Oxygen therapy: This may be prescribed along with building aerobic fitness to help improve quality of life.
•Lung Transplant: In some cases, a lung transplant is an effective and necessary option to regain lung function.
•Treat underlying RA: The best approach is to treat the underlying RA and resulting inflammation, although ILD may get worse despite well-controlled Rheumatoid Arthritis.
People who have RA are not always able to prevent rheumatoid lung disease. But some can reduce their risk by not smoking and by getting regular checkups to monitor breathing and check for lung problems. When a doctor can diagnose rheumatoid lung disease early, it may be easier to treat; issues affecting the lungs can change over time. Further lung complications can develop and become increasingly severe.
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