Volume : III, Issue : I, January - 2014

Pulmonary Assessment in Immune Mediated Connective Tissue Disorders

Dr Ruchir S Patel, Dr Ami P Parikh

Abstract :

Objective: Immune mediated connective tissue disorders (CTD) are known for their multisystem involvement. Pulmonary manifestations are obscured by more pronounced involvement of other systems. The search for pulmonary disease in these patients may ing to light mild to moderate and even asymptomatic involvement of respiratory system, thereby reducing the burden of pulmonary morbidity. Material & Methods: This is an open labeled study of 25 consecutive outdoor patients with known CTD. They were evaluated for overt/ obscure pulmonary disease by history taking, clinical examination, Chest X-ray & Spirometry, out of which selected patients were subjected to 2DECHO & HRCT thorax. Results: Out of the total 25 patients, 7 were asymptomatic. In symptomatic patients, eathlessness on exertion was the predominant respiratory complaint. Large number of patients (60%) denied respiratory symptoms as their chief complaint, although they admitted being symptomatic on direct questioning. On Spirometry, 16 patients had mild to severe restrictive pattern, 5 had mixed obstructive-restrictive pattern. The remaining had a normal PFT. The predominant findings on HRCT were ground glass opacities, honey combing & pleural thickening. Conclusion: Spirometry & HRCT thorax were abnormal in significant number of asymptomatic patients, thereby making them important investigations to detect early pulmonary disease & grade their severity

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijsr  

Cite This Article:

Dr Ruchir S Patel, Dr Ami P Parikh Pulmonary Assessment in Immune Mediated Connective Tissue Disorders International Journal of Scientific Research, Vol.III, Issue.I January 2014

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