Radiological patterns of pulmonary involvement may predict treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis: A retrospective study

Abstract Background There have been no reports on the relationship between lung radiological patterns and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity or RA treatment response in patients with RA-associated lung disease (RA-LD). Methods Patients with RA-LD who underwent treatment for RA from April 2005 to March 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. RA-LD patients were divided into three groups based on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) patterns [usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), and bronchiolitis]. The disease activity score of 28 joints-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) and the response of RA to treatment, as measured by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria, were investigated. Results A total of 77 patients (21 with UIP, 23 with NSIP, and 33 with bronchiolitis) were enrolled. Median scores (interquartile range) on the DAS28-ESR at baseline were 5.27 (4.76–5.74), 5.48 (4.24–6.34), and 5.04 (3.90–5.66) for UIP, NSIP, and bronchiolitis, respectively; there were no statistical differences between the three groups ( p = 0.412). One year after baseline, 19 (90%), 14 (61%), and 19 (58%) of patients in the UIP, NSIP, and bronchiolitis groups, respectively, were considered good or moderate responders, as evaluated using the EULAR response criteria; there was a significant difference between these three groups ( p = 0.014). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the UIP pattern was significantly associated with good or moderate response to RA treatment 1 year after baseline ( p = 0.012). Conclusions These results suggest that NSIP and bronchiolitis HRCT patterns may be risk factors for resistance to RA therapy.