BRONCHIECTASIS AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - A CLINICAL-STUDY

Objectives-To examine the relation between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) a nd bronchiectasis (BR). Methods-Disease activity, outcome, extra-artic ular manifestations, and laboratory features were compared in 32 patie nts with BR and RA (RA-BR group), 32 matched patients with RA without BR (RA group), and 31 patients with BR but without arthritis (BR group ). Results-In 30 of the 32 (94%) patients with RA-BR, BR preceded RA. There was no functional or radiological difference between the RA-BR a nd RA groups, and except for xerophthalmia, which was more common in p atients with RA-BR than patients with RA, there was no difference in e xtra-articular or laboratory features. Conclusions-Bronchiectasis does not lead to a more aggressive disease course in RA and, despite the r ecognised association, BR is not an extra-articular manifestation of r heumatoid disease.