Pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (four case reports).
Pulmonary involvement is one of the most common extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We studied four smear-positivepulmonary tuberculosis patients who had had RA for 2.5-12 years. Three of them were using corticosteroids at the time of diagnosis. The clinical, radiological and bacteriological features of all the patients were examined. We conclude that when patients with RA have symptoms related to pulmonary involvement, tuberculosis should be considered, particularly in developing countries.
Dursun
A Berna
AB
Atatürk Chest Disease and Chest Surgery Research and Training Center, Ankara, Turkey. ebdursun@superonline.com
Kalaç
Nilgün
N
Ozkan
Berna
B
Yilmaz
Fuat
F
D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000995:Antitubercular Agents