The importance of high resolution computed tomography and pulmonary function tests in evaluation of lung of female patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: Evaluation of pulmonary function of female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with or without pathological findings and comparision made according to high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were also included to the study. Methods: Total 51 volunteers thirty-two female RA patients and 19 control subjects ali ranged from 16 to 66 years of age were studied. AH patients and subjects first performed pulmonary function test (PFT). Chest x-ray films, HRCT of lung were obtained for both patients and Controls. Results: Patients with RA were divided into two groups: the ones who had pathologic findings on their lung according to HRCT, and the ones who had not. PFT values of both groups were compaired with Controls. FVC, FEV-f, FEF25-75% a n d F E F 75-85% values were significantly different in patients with pathologic findings as compared with the ones who had no pathologic findings (p<0.05). There were no significant difference between the patients with no pathologic findings and the Controls. Conclusion: Following the HRCT inspection of RA patients some changes of PFT were observed in RA patients with some pathological findings on their lungs. İt has been concluded that PFT should give as useful criteria as HRCT.