Vol.20 No.1

Case Report

Acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with rapid aggravation of rheumatoid arthritis

Authors

Shunsuke Mori1 , Isamu Cho2 , Mineharu Sugimoto3

  • Department of Rheumatology, Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic Disease, NHO Kumamoto Saishunsou National Hospital, 2659 Suya, Kohshi, Kumamoto 861-1196, Japan
  • Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Rheumatic Disease, NHO Kumamoto Saishunsou National Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
  • Division of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Medicine, NHO Kumamoto Saishunsou National Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
Received:

22 July 2009

Accepted:

20 August 2009

Published online:

26 September 2009

Full Text

PDF　(member's only)

Abstract

A 76-year-old woman with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following an appearance of severe inflammatory symptoms in multiple synovial joints. High-dose pulse therapy with methylprednisolone induced a marked improvement in pulmonary conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature to show a causal relationship between ARDS and RA. We should be alert to the possibility that ARDS can occur as an acute-type pulmonary complication of RA, particularly when patients show rapid aggravation of rheumatic activity.

Key words

Acute respiratory distress syndrome - Acute lung injury - Pulmonary complication - Rheumatoid arthritis