title: [Study of high-resolution thoracic computerized tomography and bronchoalveolar lavage in 36 patients presenting with systemic disease and a normal thoracic radiography].
abstract: Systemic diseases such as scleroderma (ScI), rheumatoid polyarthritis (PR), Gougerot-Sjögren Syndrome (GS) have a well known propensity for the lungs. Previous studies have shown evidence of disturbed alveolar cell repair as evidence of a sub-clinical alveolitis. The significance of such cases of latent alveolitis remains to be specified. To determine if latent alveolitis was associated with interstitial chest disease which was undetectable by chest X-ray, 36 consecutive patients had an BAL and a high resolution computered tomographic examination (HRTC) (Scl: n = 21; PR: n = 9; GS: n = 6). The patients had normal respiratory function and chest X-ray was normal. Our results showed 17 out of 36 (47%) with a latent alveolitis (the percentage of lymphocytes and of alveolar polymorpho-nuclear neutrophils was superior or equal to 18 and 4% respectively) (Scl: 12/21; PR: 1/9; GS: 4/6). In the cases of scleroderma a neutrophil alveolitis was predominant (9/12) and was associated in 2 cases with a honeycomb lung and evidence of fibrotic lesions using TDM-HR. Those examinations using HRTC which were normal were equally associated with a latent alveolitis (Scl: 6/12; PR: 1/6; GR: 4/5). These results suggest that the alveolitis can preceed the anatomical damages. These results need to be confirmed in a larger series and the value of early treatment should be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Service de Pneumo-immunoallergologie, Hôpital Calmette, Lille.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dansin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wallaert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rémy-Jardin
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Hatron
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rémy
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Tonnel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000592:standards*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications*; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*
vernacular_title: Etude de la tomodensitométrie thoracique de haute résolution et du lavage broncho-alvéolaire. Chez 36 patients présentant une maladie systémique et une radiographie thoracique normale.