Pulmonary involvement in progressive systemic sclerosis: a multidisciplinary approach.
In an attempt to define the early features and the natural evolution of lung involvement in progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), we planned a multidisciplinary study of these patients using radiological, scintigraphic and functional methods. As yet we have studied 21 subjects, all affected by PSS according to the American Rheumatism Association criteria. A well-defined restrictive functional pattern was present only in 10 patients out of 21; an increased elastic recoil may be present before a significant decrease of the transfer test for carbon monoxide; an increased alveolar-capillary permeability assessed by the 99mTc-diethylene-triamine-pentacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA) clearance rate has been detected in almost all the patients (13 out of 14) in at least one lung field; no significant correlation has been found between the radiological lung involvement and the 99mTc-DTPA clearance rate. We think that these preliminary results are consistent with an alveolar and interstitial inflammation rather than with a vasculitic process.
Pistelli
R
R
Istituto di Clinica Medica, Università Cattolica S. Cuore, Roma, Italy.
Maini
C L
CL
Fuso
L
L
Muzzolon
R
R
Bonetti
M G
MG
Incalzi
R A
RA
Giordano
A
A
Paoletti
S
S
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate