title: Difficulties in diagnosis of systemic sclerosis-related interstitial lung disease.
abstract: We discuss a case that demonstrates the difficulties in making a confident diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Atypical symptoms can be present, suggesting the diagnosis of an underlying connective tissue disease (CTD), but it can take several years before a definite diagnosis can be made because there are insufficient features to fulfill the preset classification criteria (American College of Rheumatology criteria) for a definite underlying CTD. Close follow-up of these patients is necessary because patients with SSc-ILD have a poorer prognosis than those with SSc without pulmonary involvement. Treatment choice also differs between idiopathic ILD and SSc-related ILD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, University Hospitals Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anniek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vrancken
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: De Langhe
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospitals Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Westhovens
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, University Hospitals Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yserbyt
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, Hospitals Louis Pradel, Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University Lyon Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cottin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pneumology, University Hospitals Leuven Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wuyts
keywords: Connective tissue disease; interstitial lung disease; systemic sclerosis; undifferentiated connective tissue disease