Lung function in patients with collagen vascular diseases: a study of non-smokers with normal chest roentgenograms.
Lung function was assessed in 52 patients with collagen vascular diseases (CVD) who had neither a smoking history nor an abnormality in their chest x-ray films. Values of the maximum mid-expiratory flow and the maximum expiratory flow after 50% or 75% of the forced vital capacity had been exhaled were decreased and the ratio of closing capacity to total lung capacity was increased in 36-100% (varied among categories of CVD) of patients with CVD, and the carbon monoxide diffusing capacity was decreased in 27-56% of the patients. These findings indicate that small airway diseases and a decrease in diffusing capacity are not rare in CVD patients, even if they had neither a smoking history nor abnormal findings in their chest x-ray films. Regular and routine tests on lung functions are thought to be effective to detect early pulmonary involvement in patients with CVD.
Third Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
M
M
Sakai
H
H
Kitamura
N
N
Nagata
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D014109:Total Lung Capacity / Q000502:physiology; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*