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Pulmonary involvement in ankylosing spondylitis

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Abstract

This is a prospective study analyzing 52 asymptomatic, consecutive patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), who submitted to a pulmonary investigation that included plain chest radiography, pulmonary function test (PFT), and thoracic high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The results were compared according to sex, race, dorsal spine involvement, thoracic diameter, smoking status, and HLA-B27. There were four patients (8%) with an altered plain chest radiograph. PFT presented a restrictive pattern in 52% of the patients. Thoracic HRCT showed abnormalities in 21 patients (40%), predominantly nonspecific linear parenchymal opacities (19%), lymphadenopathy (12%), emphysema (10%), bronchiectasis (8%), and pleural involvement (8%). Linear parenchymal opacities were associated with a smoking history (p=0.026) and dorsal spine involvement (p=0.032). HLA-B27 was not associated with any abnormality. A lower thoracic diameter was observed in patients with dorsal spine involvement (p=0.0001), restrictive pattern at PFT (p=0.023), and linear parenchymal opacities (p=0.015). The study concluded that nonspecific subclinical pulmonary involvement is frequent in AS.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Helymar C. Machado and Andreia Semolini for the statistical analysis of this study.

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Correspondence to Percival D. Sampaio-Barros.

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Sampaio-Barros, P.D., Cerqueira, E.M.F.P., Rezende, S.M. et al. Pulmonary involvement in ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Rheumatol 26, 225–230 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-006-0286-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-006-0286-2

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