title: Upper airway obstruction in the rheumatic diseases.
abstract: Upper airway obstruction is a potentially life-threatening event that can be managed effectively when promptly recognized and treated. For this reason, all patients who are suspected of having disease affecting the larynx or trachea should be regarded as having a potentially compromised airway until proven otherwise. Although clinically significant upper airway diseases occur infrequently in rheumatic disorders, these manifestations should be considered in such patients who present with upper airway symptomatology.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation, national Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Langford
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Waes
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003422:Critical Care; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000473:pathology; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000150:complications*